Fallout Australia
by BlueShiftRecall
Summary: A fan-fiction set during the time of Fallout 3 which takes place in Australia with entirely new characters, settings and more! Join our main character Arry as she searches for her brother in the wastes that were once Sydney and meets new friends and new enemies along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Fallout - Australia**

_Chapter 1. Vault A-79_

"Where is little Array?" A young adult male said loudly as a group of 5 young men and women around him sniggered as he knocked on a dormitory door.

"My name is Arry!" A young woman said bursting out through the door. "A-ree, it's not that had to pronounce." She looked up at the male who just made a stupid face and sniggered.

"Let's go she's not very interesting today!" The male said pretending to yawn.

"Yeah Max let's go find some of her younger siblings to pick on." One of his male friends said as the small group turned and walked away leaving Arry standing in the doorway alone.  
Turning around Array slammed the door shut and walked back into the room and sat down on the lounge chair that was there.

Arry was a resident in vault A-79 which was only one of over 150 that the Australian government had created over 120 years ago when the threat of nuclear war became apparent. One of Arry's ancestors had been lucky enough to be chosen to live in safety in one of the vaults and ever since generation after generation had been born and raised here. The entire underground bunker could house around 130 people at a single time and was completely underground with at least 10 different levels which separated each of the families, kitchen areas, recreation areas and eating areas.

The original residents of vault A-79 had been told to never leave until someone from the government came to tell them that everything outside was safe. They had now been waiting over 100 years and no contact from the outside world had ever been recorded. Luckily for the residents the facility had its own fresh water supply and its own small greenhouse where food was produced. The entire facility itself was powered by a small nuclear device that only the head family were ever allowed to see but which they often informed all residents that it had at least power for another 200 years.

Arry was one of five children from her family which compared to other families within the facility seemed quite small with Max Donald's family having seven children all of varying ages from 5-24. Arry was 23 years old and was the 3rd oldest of her siblings. She had two older brothers, Paul 24 and Miles 26 as well as 2 younger sisters Mavis 18 and Lily 16 and finally her youngest brother Andy 13.

Why were the families so large within the facility? Now the answer to that completely depended on who you asked but Arry was no fool and had long ago realized why. The simple answer Arry discovered was that after 100 year within the facility the gene pools of the families were starting to dwindle which meant that soon they would either have to leave the facility or result to in breeding between families between first and second cousins. The head family, the Donald's, who feared leaving the vault a few generations previous decided to keep a very well organized family tree and that families were to have multiple kids instead of just a single child to help. Arry knew this was not going to be a permanent solution and that one day in the future the residents would have to leave and see what became of their once beautiful world and country.

So after the residents being stuck inside for so long what did they even know about the outside world? The truth was that no one really knew and that's exactly why they feared leaving.

"Were those Donald's teasing you again?" Arry's mother said walking inside the room with a small bag.

"It doesn't matter mum" Arry said with a sigh.

"Of course it does sweetie, I may not be as outspoken as your father was but I can still have a talk to those Donald parents." She said sternly.

Arry's father had died only one year previous when a leak in the nuclear reactor powering the facility was detected. Someone had to fix it or else all residents would have to leave the facility or die of radiation poisoning. Arry's father bravely agreed to be the one to fix the leak and in doing so had received a huge dose of radiation and died a few days later having saved the facility and everyone inside.

"It doesn't matter." Arry said with a sigh when suddenly her pip-boy began to beep angrily. "Oh damn it I'm late to tending the greenhouse!" She said jumping up.

"I just came from there." Her mother said pulling out some fresh vegetables from the bag she was carrying. "You're doing an amazing job down there." She added with a smile.  
Arry nodded before quickly running out of the families tiny living room and into the hallway where she nearly bumped straight into her older brother Miles.

"Wow hold your horses." He said looking down at Arry. As well as being the oldest sibling Miles was also the tallest. He was a tall 6'2 compared to Arry who was only a small 5'7, she took after her shorter mother whilst Miles took after her father.

"I'm sorry Miles I'm late and my supervisor the oldest Donald sibling will kill me!" She moaned. With the Donald's having such a large family each child within the family had of course received an easy supervisory role around the vault meaning that once again the Donald's outranked every other citizen.

Arry quickly stepped around her brother who shook his head as she made a mad dash down the hallway to the stairs.

When she finally reached the correct level she ran as fast as she could to the greenhouse door where she burst inside to see Dave Donald and her co-worker and friend Mary Rial waiting for her.

"I am so sorry I had to help my mother back away her items!" Arry said quickly.

"Second time this week!" Dave shook his head. "You have been so slack ever since…look just get to work minding the vegetables and greens." He sighed before walking into a nearby office room.

With a frown of her face Arry walked over to her friend.

"They will kick you out of the vault if you keep being late!" Mary said sounding worried.

"I really don't care at the moment." Arry frowned.

"Don't talk like that!" Mary said grabbing her friends arm. "Please don't say things like that.' She looked a little frightened.

Arry knew that many of the residents including some of her siblings had a deep underlying fear of whatever lied beyond the vault door. For all she knew it could be paradise outside and still some people inside the vault would fear it. It wasn't that she herself wasn't concerned of what lay beyond the safety of this underground prison it was just that ever since her father died she wondered whether or not being down here in this maze was much safer than the outside world? Arry was not a complete fool despite how she carried on around the Donald's because she knew that some people every now and then would go crazy inside the vault and rumour had it that over 50 years ago someone even tried to escape and one day just disappeared. That one incident was never allowed to be spoken about in public but it was a good scare story that most children heard growing up in the vault.

"Concentrate Arry!" Mary said as Arry snapped out of her thoughts and noticed she had accidently cut off a small branch off one of the small tomato plants in front of her.

"I just don't know what's wrong with me today." Arry said throwing her small garden scissors onto the ground. "Maybe I should just go home."

"You only just arrived Dave would never allow it!" Mary said in a whisper.

"I-I just need to go…."Arry said and walked out of the greenhouse room.

Arry walked down the corridors until she reached the cafeteria which was empty. Slowly she walked inside and sat down at one of the tables and sighed.

"I knew I would find you here." Arry looked up to see her brother Paul standing at the door.

"How did you know I was here?" She asked.

"It's all those trackers I put into the pip-boys when I make them." He grinned and sat down beside her. "Hmm not buying that one eh?" He said as Arry gave a small smile.

"I'm not ten anymore." She said shaking her head.

"Yeah you've caught onto me and all my tricks but that's not why I've come down here…I heard that left work early this morning and mum told me that Max has been annoying you again."

"Oh don't worry about that idiot I can handle him." Arry said angrily.

"Sure? Because you know I am bigger and stronger than him I could hit him pretty hard." He said with a sly smile.

"If you did that you'd get kicked out of here so quickly!" She laughed looking back at Paul who seemed to have turned quite serious.

"Would that really be such a bad thing Arry?" He paused and looked around for a moment.

"Have you ever noticed how different some kids are to their parents around here?"

'Are…you are you're being serious." Arry said quickly.

"Come on Arry you've always been the smartest sibling, I can't believe it wasn't you who noticed this first. Ever since dad died you've been different…if he was even your dad…"

"How dare you!" Arry snapped angrily

"You can walk away Arry but for one moment just listen to me you're the only one I can trust. We used to talk all the time remember?' He looked up at Arry who was frowning but nodded reluctantly. "Haven't you ever noticed how different all our siblings are from each other?"

"Genetics can be funny…' She started.

"But why does Miles looks so much like our father and I don't? Why do you look like our mother but then Lily doesn't look like her or our father at all? How can you and I have blue eyes but Miles has green and why does Mavis have such blonde hair when no one else in our family ever did before?"

"Or why Miles is so tall…" Arry said to herself looking up at Paul who nodded. "No, this is crazy are you saying that all of our brothers and sister have different mothers and fathers? How could that possibly make sense it would make it extremely hard to make sure there's no inbreeding like the Donald family suggested 2 generations ago."

"There is only one way that…' Paul started but finished off when someone entered the cafeteria and looked at them. "Good afternoon Mrs Vance!" Paul said instantly jumping up.

"Oh you younglings don't stop talking on account of me I won't interrupt I promise." She cooed happily. Mrs Vance was the vaults oldest resident and was the kindest person Arry had ever met. She acted as a grandmother to almost everyone.

"Us younglings? Mrs Vance I could swear you are not a day over 40!" Paul grinned and pulled out a chair for her.

"Stop your flattering young man and get back to work." She said as she slowly sat down.

"Of course! I'll speak to you later Arry I hope you're feeling better!" Paul nodded and walked out of the cafeteria.

"Oh my dear have you been unwell?" Mrs Vance said turning to Arry who nodded hesitantly, she was a horrible liar. "I have some pills in my pocket for those nasty tummy aches sweetheart." Arry stood up and walked over to her and took one of the pill capsules Mrs Vance put in her hand.

"Do you want me to get you anything before I go home?' Arry asked.

"No thank you dear I just came in for a nice cup of tea that I can make myself." Mrs Vance said as Arry nodded and walked out of the canteen.

Arry walked back to her families tiny dorm and silently crept inside but was happy to see that her mother and siblings were all out. Breathing out a sigh of relief she walked into the room she shared with her 2 sisters and laid down on her bed. She turned to look at the photograph on her bedside table of her and her father and closed her eyes telling herself that Paul was wrong…

-

Hearing voices Arry slowly opened her eyes and yawned, she had no idea how long she'd been asleep for. Sitting up she stretched out her arms before standing up and walking up to the door to try and hear who was in the living room. From the very muffled voices all she could make out was that it was her mother and another man. Suddenly realizing it may have been her supervisor from earlier that morning she panicked and quickly opened the door.

"I'm sorry I was sick I…." she trailed off when she saw the vault overseer and head of the Donald family Riley Donald standing with her mother. "Oh I'm sorry to have interrupted." She said quickly and looked to her mother who looked upset. "Mum what's wrong?" She asked feeling a horrible sickness in her stomach.

"Miss Arry I have some bad news about your brother Paul, he has left the vault and will not be returning…" Riley said looking at Arry who was too shocked to say anything.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2. Goodbye_

"I don't understand…why…how…" Arry started shaking her head in disbelief.

"Last week I found Paul snooping around in my office.' Riley sighed. "He promised he would not to do it again and apologized. I decided to give him one chance and I told him that as long as he wasn't caught doing it again then I would not inform you Mrs Lighter."

"Is there no way that we'll ever see him again?" Arry's mum began to sob.

"My sincere apologizes. I will leave you and your family alone." Riley said in a soft tone before leaving the dormitory.

"Why would he do this? He will die on the outside…"

"Mum what if, what if the world outside isn't as bad as we think?" Arry asked.

"We can't take that chance sweetheart and for all we know we and the other vault residents may be the only living human beings in the entire country and everyone outside is dead because it's so radiated."

"But what if its not?"

"Enough Arry!"Her mum cried. "I have just lost a son and you have lost your older brother forever! He will die out there!" She sobbed and sat down on the lounge and put her face in her hands.

"Mum I'm sorry." Arry said looking down at her mother. Arry had always had problems when it came to showing her emotions, they were something that she always felt were personal and very rarely expressed herself to others and so seeing her mother cry made her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to comfort her mother but she just felt so awkward and unsure of how.

"Mum what's wrong!" Arry spun around to see her two younger siblings and younger brother walk into the dormitory. Lily immediately ran over and sat beside her mother and gave her a hug.

Arry looked at her siblings and slowly snuck out of the room when they weren't looking and shook her head, everything was just to overwhelming for her to comprehend at the moment.

Hearing Mile's voice nearby Arry looked back and snuck toward the corner in the hallway. Peering around she could see her brother speaking to Riley.

"Very unfortunate about Paul Sir." Miles said.

"Yes I thought I had told you to warn him about causing trouble…"

"I did but he had lately become so obsessed with the world beyond the vault." Miles admitted.

"We should be thankful he didn't spread this curiosity disease to any of you. The decision to force him to leave though hard I believe was the right decision."

"Yes Sir." Miles said nodding as Riley began to walk away. When Riley had disappeared Miles began to walk back towards home when Arry jumped in front of him from around the corner. "Arry?" he said surprise.

"You knew about the Donald's kicking Paul out!" She said loudly.

"I did…"

"Why did you know? Why didn't mum know? Why did you keep this a secret? We could have helped Paul so he could have stayed with us!"

"We had to do what was right for our family and the safety of this vault."

"Since when do you get to make decisions about our family?" Arry said throwing her hands in the air. "You are not the head of this family."

"Someone had to look after our family and when Dad died I decided to take of you…"

"You will never be anything like our father! He would have never have kicked Paul outside and he would never have lied to mum about this."

"Don't you talk to me like that Arry you understand nothing! I do what is best for us and this vault. You have no idea what dangers lay beyond the vaults door."

"Whatever is out there you just sent Paul to face it alone! What if I start talking like he does? What if I break into the overseers office? Are you going to kick me out to?"

"I don't have time for this I need to go make sure mum is alright." Miles frowned as he stormed past Arry back towards their dormitory leaving Arry alone looking after him.

Looking after him for a moment Arry shook herself out of her shock and stormed off down the corridor wondering how her eldest brother could send his own brother into certain death and then keep it from the rest of his family? Was it because that Paul wasn't even biologically his brother? Was Arry's mother even Paul's real mother? Was that why Miles didn't appear to care because he and Paul weren't even related? Would he do that to her?

Arry found herself once again just walking aimlessly around the vault ignoring any of the people she met who seemed to be more concerned with whispering every time they saw her anyway than to talk.

-

Eventually it got quite late in the evening and Arry found herself once again alone in the Cafeteria where she sat having a cup of coffee and just staring blankly at her cup. She hadn't heard anyone for at least 2 hours and assumed that by now everyone except the vault security guards were in bed.

As she sat there thinking to herself the idea of running out of the vault and following Paul to either find him and convince to come home or find him and stay living on the outside just to prove that it was safe enough for everyone to finally leave the vault. Every time she thought about leaving though she felt really sick and even had to admit that she was somewhat scared of what she might find outside. What if Paul went out and had died due to radiation poisoning? What if some horrible animal had killed him? If she went out to find him would the same happen to her?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the shuffling of feet and saw a shadowy figure run past the cafeteria. A little surprised that someone would be awake Arry quickly jumped up from her table and followed after the person.

"Hey wait I…" She said and when she finally caught up to them she realized that it was her mother. "Mum?"

"You really should go back to bed sweetheart…" Her mother started trying to hide a small bag she was carrying.

"Where are you going with that bag at this time of the night?" Arry asked very confused as her mother sighed.

"I'm, I'm going to go find Paul."

"You can't leave they'll never let you back in!" Arry exclaimed in shock.

"Someone needs find him and bring him home and make sure he's alright." She exclaimed with a scared look. "It has to me I can't risk anyone else going outside…"

"Mother let me go." Arry said taking a deep breath.

"No I…"

"Mum my younger brother and sisters need you especially now! Think what would happen if first their dad dies, their brother gets expelled from the vault and then their mother leaves?! No you have to stay and look after them."

'But sweetheart I can't let you go out there."

"Listen to me mum I promise I will go find Paul and bring him home, I promise."

"You may not like what you find outside." Her mother said truthfully looking up at her daughter. "You may discover things that I tried to protect you and your brothers and sisters from."

"I can handle myself." Arry said and when she finished she was shocked when her mother hugged her.

"The password for the overseers door to the vault entrance is 0810…" she whispered and pulled back.

"How did?"

"The truth hurts sometimes sweetheart…please find Paul and be safe. I love you." She said tears swelling in her eyes as she turned and walked away leaving Arry standing there alone looking after her.

'I love you to mum…" Arry said softly to herself as she turned around and made her way towards the overseer's office.

It only took her a few minutes till she reached Riley Donald's office and quietly opened the door to see that the room was completely empty. She ran over the computer and quickly switched it on before entering the password that her mother had given her. Hearing a loud clunky noise she spun around and saw a bookcase on the wall very slowly sliding to one side revealing a secret door.

"Your family was always trouble." Arry heard a voice and spun around to see Max standing alone in the doorway.

"What do you want? Because you're not stopping me!" She said sternly.

"Stop you? I just came to make sure that you actually leave." He laughed. "My father has been trying to figure out how to lower the vaults population since unimportant families such as yourselves have so many children and fill it up. What my grandfather failed to say when he told families to have a lot of kids was that the low ranking families we're not supposed to and so they wouldn't spread their simple genes around." He paused and sniggered. "However I guess it is these simple genes that are causing you all to go insane and leave the vault which I suppose is a good thing after all."

"I will find my brother and bring him home."

"You can try but I swear that you will never be allowed back in this vault ever again! I will personally make sure of it."

"Why do you hate my family so much?" Arry said bewildered that this man whom she never really interacted with in her entire life hated her and her family so much.

"The truth hurts!" He yelled. "No get out of here you feral."

Arry felt her fists clench but she took a deep breath in and out knowing that he wasn't worth her time. With one last look back at Max she spun around and opened the door which revealed a large cold metallic room with the sealed vault door at the very end.

Closing the door behind her she quickly ran up to the control panel and flicked the switch to allow the vault door to open. She could feel the nerves in her stomach making her sick but she knew there was no turning back now she had made a promise to her mother to find Paul and she would do that at all costs.

She watched as the vault door in front of her very slowly slide open and once it was fully open she slowly but surely walked forward and stepped out of the vault for the very first time in her life. She could see that the vault door had been located in some type of makeshift cave which had a door at the very end where light was shining brightly from underneath it.

Flicking the switch on the panel behind her to close the vault door she slowly began to walk forward towards the door at the end of the cave. Hearing the vault seal shut behind her she slowly pushed the door to the outside world open.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. Welcome**

As the door opened the extreme bright light outside instantly blinded Arry as she stepped through the door frame. Taking in a deep breath she instantly noticed that the air outside was different it wasn't as crisp and fresh as it was in the fault it was instead dirty and thick almost like a smog.

Slowly but surely the brightness of the light outside started to fade and she was able to see what lay in front of her. What she saw right in front of her was nothing less than a completely parched field covered in long golden coloured grass. She took a few steps forward and peered into the far distance where she believed she could make out what appeared to be the remains of some buildings.

Arry peered behind her to notice that the vault that she had lived in her entire life seemed to be completely encased in the side of a small cliff side. She had to admit that during her school years she had never paid very much attention when it came to where there vault had been located in the grand scheme. All she could remember what the vault had been built outside of the city of Sydney and that all original residents had come from their. She quickly assumed that the buildings in the distance had to be the remains of Sydney and with nothing but cliff face behind her she decided that it must have been the only place that Paul would have been able to go to.

Opening up her pip-boy she quickly created herself a new map and placed a marker next to Vault A-79 so she knew the way back after she had found Paul. She hadn't yet thought about how on Earth she was going to convince the Donald's to let them back inside again but she knew that could wait because she had to find her brother first.

As she started to walk away from the cliff face further into the golden fields in front of her she could feel her nerves slowly starting to drift away. There didn't appear to be anything dangerous out here, in fact it even seemed quite peaceful. She looked up into the sky and could see the dark grey clouds moving lazily across the sky and wondered whether the weather outside was always so nice, cosy and warm.

She peered down at her pip-boy and was even more surprised when she noted that there was almost no radiation around her at all so the chances of her getting any radiation poisoning was almost none. What had the Donald's been so afraid off? She wondered to herself as she walked it seemed so peaceful outside.

-

After what seemed like an hour of not hearing or seeing any other living creature Arry finally heard a ruffling in the weeds near her.

"Hello…Paul?" She said hopefully despite knowing that it couldn't possibly be him. She watched the grass as it instantly stopped moving when she turned around. "Hello?" She said starting to sound a little nervous as she began to walk towards the sound. "Look if this is a trick I…" Before she had time to finish she watched as something leapt out of the grass towards her. She only just had time to jump out of the way as the large animal flew past her.

Spinning around she looked down to see a huge dog but it didn't look like any dog she had ever seen before in pictures. The dog was huge and was covered in mangy tattered black fur, was frothing at the mouth and had huge claws on its feet. Arry's heart rate skyrocketed as she slowly started to back away. She glanced back towards the vault far in the distance and knew there was no way she would ever be able to out run the dog.

She didn't have much time to think as the dog once again leapt at her. She managed to dodge it again as she began to run as fast as she could towards the city ruins. She could hear the dog running behind her and knew that it was going to easily outrun her. Glancing behind to see where it was she didn't see an old piece of farming equipment in front of her on the ground and she tripped right over it sending her crashing down to the ground. In a panic she looked up to see the dog taking on last leap right at her and she closed her eyes.

Suddenly she heard a loud bang and a thumping sound. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked down to see the carcass of the dead dog in front of her. She gasped in fright and instantly stood back up her entire body shaking in fear.

"Hey. Hey you!" She spun around to see a man with a large backpack on running up towards her with a gun in his hand. "You're brave to venture into these killing fields alone." The old man chuckled.

"I…Thank you." Arry said taking a deep breath and looking at the man who looked at least 60 but seemed to be quite fit and agile.

"Hmm a vaultee." He said poking Arry with his finger as she brushed him away.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"You're a vaultee one of the privileged people who live in the vaults, no wonder you are so useless and scared." He cooed as Arry said nothing.

"Why is this called the Killing Fields?" She asked.

"Because of these little buggers." He said kicking the huge feral dog on the ground. "They usually hunt in packs killing any of you Vaultee's who get out or just any civilian dumb enough to wander out here." He shook his head.

"Have you seen any Vaultee's lately? I'm looking for my brother." Arry said hopefully as the old man shook his head.

"No, no not recently. The last person I saw well I only ever saw half of them was killed by those feral dogs before I had a chance to save em."

"So you play the hero and save people out here do you?" Arry asked curiously.

"I'm here to make deals!" He grinned showing his horrible teeth. "So let's deal sweetheart."

"I don't need anything though." She said quickly.

"Nonsense! If you intend to go anywhere on around the borders of Old Sydney you'll need a weapon to stop those blasted dogs." The old man put down his bag and shuffled through it for a moment and pulled out a small pistol. Arry went to take it but he quickly pulled back. "Hey hey nothing for free! What you got to trade hmm?"

"I don't have anything on me?" She said shrugging.

"What about your pockets? They must have something good from the vaults. You dead vaultees bodies are always good for looting!" Arry looked a little disgusted but knew she was wasting time and had to keep moving but if this old man was right she really did need to somehow get a gun to protect herself.

Putting her hands in her pockets she pulled out some coffee and tea sachets from the canteen and a small bag of dried snacks.

"This is all I have." She admitted as the man looked down at her offer.

"Real coffee." He took in a deep sniff of the coffee sachets and breathed out. "Never before seen these and look real non-radiated food! Good for the old belly you know." He said as his eyes eagerly glared down at the objects.

"I know it's not much but is it enough to trade for that pistol?" She asked hopefully as she watched him think.

"I can sell these to the other travelers I see round for big bucks especially the coffee!" He said and snatched everything she had greedily and shoved the pistol at her.

"Nice doing business, now I better get going before this fella's friend's return." The old man put his backpack back on and started to walk away.

"No wait!" Arry said quickly. "Is there anything else I should know about Old Sydney before I get there?"

"Kill everything not human, watch out for the ghouls and wild animals and most of all trust no one!" He laughed manically as he continued to pander away through the fields.

She looked after him and wondered what on Earth he meant when he warned her to look out for ghouls. What were they? Some other type of crazed wild animal? Arry looked down at the gun in her hand and had to honestly admit she really had no idea how to use it other than you had to pull the trigger to fire it.

Deciding to take the old man's advice and not stay to long she quickly spun back around and began to walk back towards Old Sydney.

As she walked she had a horrible feeling that her brother Paul may have been killed by those feral dogs but she held onto the hope that maybe since that old man hadn't seen anyone that in-fact Paul had managed to make it to the city in one piece.

As the city slowly grew closer and closer she could begin to see how devastated it actually was and she began to wonder whether or not she was going to meet any other people, or other vaultees the old man had mentioned. What really had her concerned though was those ghoul creatures that the old man had warned her about. Was this tiny gun going to be enough to help her if one of those found her?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Infinity**

The closer Arry walked towards the city the more and more it began to smell like ash and the smell of something rotten like if her mother had ever left food out of the fridge for too long back in the vault.

She could tell she had arrived at the very edge of the city when she stumbled upon her first small neighborhood of broken down and destroyed homes most of which were nothing but burnt out ruins. She walked down what she believed to have once been the street and as she did she felt a cold shiver up her spine as though someone or something was watching her.

Despite this feeling she kept walking and tried to ignore the eerie calm around her as she clasped the pistol in her hand tightly.

-

Once again hours seemed to go by without her seeing anything alive whether it be animal or person. She knew that Paul had only gotten around a 15 hour head start and so she could only assume that he couldn't possibly be too far ahead of her which meant that she would have to catch up with him soon enough if she just kept moving.

The horrible putrid smell of the ruins around her made her feel sick but she ignored it and kept a close eye on her surroundings as she walked past all the broken homes that were in varying degrees of destruction.

After awhile she finally saw something moving the distance and it appeared to be human. Very quietly and slowly she crept forward closer and closer to the person.

When she was only about 50 meters away from the person she hid behind a broken billboard which had fallen down and was resting against a street sign.

She could see that the person was a man who seemed to be searching through something he had found on the ground.

"If you're going to stand there and watch me at least come out so I can see you." The man said not looking up as Arry's heartbeat skipped a beat. Quietly she looked around her just to make sure that there was no else around. "Let's see not a feral ghoul, not a trader must be a civilian of some kind…." The man continued as he stood up straight and spun around and looked at Arry who had her head peeking around the sign.

The two looked at each for a few moment in silence before Arry jumped out onto the street and pointed her pistol at the man who to her surprise didn't look too concerned.

"Don't come any closer." She yelled.

"Where did you get that gun?" The man asked as he calmly started to walk forward towards her.

"Stay back or I'll fire." She said quickly as she watched the man continue to walk up towards her. The man appeared to be in his early 30's, had scruffy black hair and strange silver milky eyes that looked very sickly. He was wearing a very tattered waist length black coat, a dirty brown shirt and long brown pants with black boots and he had a small bag on his back.

"Oh yes I see." The man said and stopped a few feet in front of Arry and crossed his arms.

"Wait…what?" Arry blustered.

"Did you buy that from that stupid old man out in the Killimg Fields?" He asked putting his head in his hands as Arry nodded. "Another stupid vaultee." He said and before Arry could do anything he leapt forward and snatched the gun away from her.

Quickly stepping back in shock Arry watched as the man looked at the gun before shaking his head and throwing it back at her.

"This gun isn't even loaded if you had come across something nasty you'd have been killed."

Arry looked down in the gun in her hand and was completely embarrassed but tried not to let it show.

"I knew that." She lied biting her lip.

"Yes of course you did you stupid little vaultee!" The man jeered.

"My name is Arry and so what if I'm from a vault." She said crossing her arms.

"You want a list? Ok first of all you can't eve handle a simple weapon, secondly you believed that stupid old man was actually trying to help you, thirdly you approached me here in Old Sydney when you have no idea who I am, fourthly you are still wearing that hideous vault uniform…."

'Alright enough." Arry said angrily.

"Wow alright then I better do as you say." He said rolling his eyes.

"Well goodbye then!" Arry said in a huff and began to march away further into the city when suddenly the man quickly caught up to her causing her to stop.

"Here we go again! You turn your back on a complete stranger and start walking to the inner city without a weapon? You must have a death wish!" The man said crudely.

"If you're not going to help me then I don't have time for this." Arry said crossing her arms.

"You never even asked me for any help!" He argued.

"Well you hardly seem like the type who will…"

"How do you know?" He said as he watched her shake her head and keep walking but he quickly ran in front of her and stopped her again. "What do you want to know?"

"Why do you want to help me? I don't have anything to trade."

"Well you're the first person I've met in a long time who doesn't know me and I don't know them. I find that intriguing enough to interest me."

"Ok fine, have you seen my brother? He must have come through here around ten hours ago?" Arry sighed.

"Another Vaultee?" The man said thinking as Arry looked hopeful. "No sorry."

"Fine thank you." She said and began to walk away. As she walked she noticed that the man was walking beside her. "Well what do you want now?"

"Don't you want to know my name?"

"As long as we can talk and walk at the same time I'd be happy to amuse you for awhile." She sneered. 'What is your name then?"

"You can call me Infinity." He said putting out his hand.

"Infinity?" She said looking down at his hand. "That's not a real name."

"Well it's not the name my mother gave me but I like it." He shrugged.

"Why would you give yourself that horrible name?" She asked slightly curious and turned to him only to notice he had stopped in his tracks and looked quite serious. "What's wrong?" She asked suddenly stopping and looking back at him.

"Shhh…" He hissed and looked around him as Arry started to worry as she moved back towards him and held the pistol tightly in her hand. "What's that supposed to do?!" He said angrily and as soon as he finished Arry watched as a humanly figure leapt from the rubble of a nearby house and let out a deafening and sickening high pitched scream and ran towards them.

Before she had a chance to do anything Infinity pulled put out a large shotgun and shot the human monster causing it to instantly fall to the ground. Arry could feel her entire body shaking in fear as she watched Infinity walk towards the figure on the ground and examine it for a moment.

"No worries it's dead." He grinned as his serious persons disappeared in an instant.

Going against her better judgment Arry slowly but surely followed after him and looked down at the figure that lay dead on the ground. Whatever it was appeared human but it had no hair at all, its clothes were all torn, it's was skin rotting and peeling off and its nose was completely missing which just left a gaping hole in its face.

"What is that? It looks almost human." Arry said looking away.

"That is a feral ghoul." Infinity said looking back up at her. "Hmm I suppose that old coot didn't tell you that there are different types of ghouls roaming this city area did he?"

"They're not all like that are they?" Arry said as the two began to walk away.

"No…nearly all of them look like that though. These are feral ghouls which will kill anything that moves and there are the more civilized ghouls who actually wouldn't hurt a fly and usually try their best to be a normal person."

"What happened to make them like that?" She asked.

"Isn't that obvious?" Infinity asked. "Exposure to the radiation from all those blasted bombs they dropped on us. Most people just died from the radiation but some turned into those creatures. Some of them like that one go insane whilst the more civilized ones at least try to hold on to their humanity."

"Wait a minute…" Arry said stopping in her tracks. "Those bombs were dropped over 120 years ago how can they possibly still be alive now?"

"Fun fact, the radiation that turned them into monsters has also made them almost immortal to aging."

"These things are everywhere are they?" Arry said putting her face in her hands wondering whether or not Paul was going to be able to survive for long with those horrible creatures running around especially if he didn't have anything to defend himself with. As she was thinking she suddenly reflected back on something Infinity had said. "Wait a minute what do you mean "most" of them look like that thing back there?" She asked.

"Well there is one more type of ghoul but there has only ever been one of this type ever recorded that I know of." Infinity started.

"Wait a minute you call yourself Infinity…" She said thinking to herself as she stared up at him. "That can't be possible!" She said quickly. "You are not what that thing was, you look completely normal!"

"Look at us talking like good old chums!" He beamed.

"That means you'd have to be over 150! And you don't look a day over 30." Arry said shaking her head not believing him.

"All the doctors I have ever met over the past 120 years couldn't believe it either. From what they have said to me it's because my body has an extremely rare case of immunization to the type of radiation used in atomic blasts. A one in one billion chance I believe one of them said."

"But if it's not affecting you by making you like that hideous ghoul over there how come you still aren't aging like a normal person?"

"The immunization protects me against the radiation poisoning that would rot my flesh and body but I'm not protected against its by-product which causes an extension of life somehow…I don't even know if doctors know why ghouls can live for so long either."

"So you can't die?" Arry asked.

"No I can just like I killed that ghoul just then." He shrugged. "I'm not here to talk about me though I'm here to help you."

"But why help me? You must have seen hundreds…thousands of people over your lifetime that you could have helped.

"Who says I haven't?" He asked. "Most people though are searching for something I can't help them with…and besides I get bored you know with immortality and all."

"So you're just going to help me because you're bored?"

"No." He laughed. "It's because I can't leave a damsel in distress out here alone…"

"How dare you! I don't need saving." Arry said with a huff.

"Of course what I meant to say was that I need you as my bodyguard." He grinned as Arry rolled her eyes. "Oh and here you go." He said putting his hand in his pocket before throwing her some ammo for her pistol. "Let's go find your brother then?" He said and began to walk down the street.

Arry looked after for a moment and had to admit that she didn't' quite understand what it meant at all that he was one of those Ghoul creatures that somehow looked human. Though she did know that deep down that she was glad to have someone with her even if it was just for a little while because he was bored.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5. Walk & Talk**

As the two walked down the street Arry who felt a lot more safe and calm looked at the destruction around her and tried to imagine what the city must have looked like before its destruction. In the vault they of course had a lot of old books with lots of old pictures of some of the buildings and people. She could recall how happy everyone always looked in the photographs which she believed must have been taken only a year or two before the bombs were dropped.

"You've gone very quiet, I haven't frightened you off being what I am?" Infinity said turning to Arry who shook her head.

"I still find it impossible to believe your story but if it is true then you must have remembered what this place looked like before the bombs dropped." She asked curiously.

'Of course I do!" He said quickly. "I don't know why you'd want to know though I mean I doubt this place will ever be like it once was."

"That's a very defeatist attitude." Arry replied quickly.

"Having lived as long as I have and seeing what happened to this once beautiful city it's hard to imagine that it will ever be that way again…" He turned to her. "Besides if you take away all the feral ghouls and animals and the gangs trying to kill you it can actually be quite a peaceful place when it wants to be.

"Sounds horrible to me."

"Oh of course a vaultee would say that having spent your entire life wrapped up in a giant cotton ball. I'd be surprised if you had even grazed your knee let alone be shot at, radiated and chased by wild animals!" He rolled his eyes.

"You make it sound like you actually enjoy those things."

"Well if you know you're going to living for a damn long time you start to decide you better start living a little to pass the time." He shrugged as the two walked into a large intersection.

"Ok then which way?" Infinity asked.

"What? I was following you I thought you were taking me somewhere." Arry said quickly.

"No! Actually I was following you!" He said crossing his arms.

"We've just wasted so much time walking to nowhere! Why didn't you tell me I…" She said angrily and turned to Infinity who was trying to hold back a grin. "What's so funny!?" She said loudly.

"You are so easy to get angry!" He said laughing out aloud.

"This isn't a joke my brother might be in serious trouble!"

"Alright calm down no need to go crazy." He said quickly. "Actually I was leading you somewhere…" He looked down at Arry who clenched her fists angrily she wasn't finding his silly jokes funny at all.

"The road to nowhere?" She huffed.

"Actually I'm taking you to New Harbour. If your brother wandered anywhere or if anyone gave him directions they would have directed him there."

"New Harbour?" She queried.

"You must have heard about the Sydney Harbour Bridge right?" He asked as Arry quickly nodded. "Well when the inner city was flattened by an atomic blast the bridge was destroyed. The entire middle section collapsed into the harbour…"

"What does this have to do with New Harbour?" She asked impatiently.

"Alright I'm getting to it." He said quickly. "Well around 40 years ago a group of travelers decided to create a small town beside the broken bridge on the Harbour front. It's the only place in inner Sydney which has a friendly town and will usually let anyone inside."

"How many people live there?"

"Last time I was there which must have been over a year ago now I think it was around 100 people. Mostly humans and a few civilized ghouls…"

"They let them in there?" She said looking a little horrified.

"Remember though I mentioned the civilized ghouls? They are just like normal people except…diseased. Most of them just want to be treated like normal people and New Harbour is about the only town set up that I know off that welcomes civilized ghouls into it and treats them mostly with the same respect as they would a normal person."

"Oh I see…' Arry said thinking to herself. "I will remember that and I promise I will try not to be rude."

"Really? That's a surprise coming from a vaultee." He thought for a moment. "Last vaultee I met had a civilized ghoul approach him to trade and the vaultee completely freaked out and ran straight back into the Killing Fields…" He laughed to himself.

"Did he die?"

"Well yeah that's why it's…funny…" Infinity trailed off before quickly recomposing himself. "But yes the civilized ghouls will really appreciate it if you don't bully or kill them."

"We should get moving before it gets dark." Arry said looking into the distance where the sun was slowly starting its descent towards the horizon.

"Oh I agree you don't want to be out here at night when those feral ghouls come out on mass. To you they must seem like mindless killing machines but even they usually realize that coming out after dark they have a better chance of catching and…"

'And what?" Arry said concerned.

"Give people flowers! What do you think?" He said shaking his head as Arry just frowned.

"Come on let's keep going." He said as the two continue to walk down the road further into the inner city.

-

The first thing that Arry noticed as they walked closer towards the inner city was the smell of salt in the air which meant that they must be getting close to the Harbour. The buildings although still destroyed were much taller than they had been in the out-lying parts of the city. Some of the buildings must have been as high as her vault was deep at one time.

"Are those building safe?" Arry asked looking up at the 4 storey building in front of her that had had its upper floors completely blown off.

"Most of them have been standing for over a 100 years now so if they haven't fallen over yet then I should reckon they'd be safe. Why are you looking at doing some looting?" He said clapping his hands together.

"Oh course not!" She exclaimed quickly.

"Come on I know you were." He said nudging her slightly.

"Please…I would like to think I'm above such things." She said proudly.

"Got to love the self-righteous vaultee attitude." Infinity said shaking his head. "All you vaultees I see come out here and expect everyone to help you and that you're perfect…"

"You're the one who decided to help me not the other way around."

"Trust me though there's nothing worth looting anyway." He said quickly changing the subject.

"Everything of value would have been stripped long long ago, the only things in those buildings would be some ghouls and old skeletons."

Infinity glanced back at Arry who had gone awfully quite, she was obviously still seeing the world through rose coloured glasses. What did she expect to be in those building which had been destroyed for over 100 years? Noticing her glum appearance Infinity quickly chirped up.

"Hey do you want to see something truly amazing?" He grinned as Arry looked a little underwhelmed. "Come on it's past this large building here." He said as the two quickly began to walk around the building.

Arry quickly followed after him wondering what on Earth he could be talking about, the only amazing thing she wanted to see at that moment was either more normal people or her brother or better yet wake up from a horrible dream.

Walking around the corner of the building she was instantly hit with a gentle salty breeze and when she looked up she could see that they were almost right beside the harbour and in the middle of the harbour the remains of the glorious Sydney Harbour Bridge sat peeking out from the water in the middle of the harbour. The once mighty bridge now lay crumpled, twisted and rusty in the cold salty water of the harbour.

"I wouldn't call that amazing but it is quite a sight." Arry admitted gazing at the remains of the bridge and the rough waves throwing themselves upon it.

"The only part of the bridge that remained standing after the explosion were the pillars on either side and even those were extremely badly damaged."

"It must have been a huge explosion…" Arry said but she just couldn't imagine something so powerful doing so much damage.

"Let's not worry about that now because we have arrived at new Harbour." He said pointing down towards the bridge pillar where Arry could just see what appeared to be a small town that was surrounded by wall made up of huge pieces of concrete.

"Great!" She said with a smile as the two quickly began to walk along the sidewalk towards the the bridges pillar and New Harbour.

As they walked Arry soon noticed that the Harbour Bridge wasn't the only object that littered the Harbour because she could see huge boats all rusted and broken as far as the eye could see. All the empty rusty boats gave the entire harbour a very eerie feel that made her shiver.

"Don't worry no ghost ships are going to come and get you." Infinity laughed as he watched Arry stare at the ships.

"It's so much to get used to, especially after having seen such amazing pictures of what this place looked like before." She laughed at herself. "I knew that it would be nothing like those pictures in my old books of course but I could have never have imagined this." She confessed.

As the two neared New Harbour Arry watched as suddenly Infinity ducked down behind some large concrete blocks that had fallen from the bridges pillar.

"What are you doing?" Arry asked looking down at him.

"Quickly get down before it sees us!" He said grabbing her arm and pulling her down.

"Another ghoul?" She asked as Infinity shook his head.

"Even worse." He sighed.

Arry slowly peeked over the concrete block and saw what seemed to be something floating beside the concrete wall. She watched it go backwards and forwards for a moment and couldn't make out why they were hiding from something that looked completely harmless.

She watched as the object seemed to turn towards her and slowly start to float its way over to them.

"I think it saw us." Arry whispered looking down at Infinity who grumbled angrily.

"It saw you because you're peeking out!" He said in a huff.

Looking a little concerned she peered back over the concrete and jumped back in surprise when the object was right in front of her face.

"Greetings fellow human!" The object said in a very mechanical voice.

"You let it find us." Infinity said putting his face in his hands.

"Greetings again Infinity-human. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance again." The robot said moving around the block to look at him.

"What is this thing?" Arry said looking at the floating robot that appeared to almost resemble one of those old sputnik satellites she had read about in her early years.

"This is an eye-bot." Infinity sighed before standing back up. "They're little machines that were created after the bombs dropped to relay news to any survivors it could find. Most of them have since been destroyed."

"Why would you hide from this it looks harmless?" Arry said looking back towards the eye-bot. "And it seems so friendly."

"I was hiding because it's crazy and because…" He let out a sigh. "It thinks it's a human."

"Oh but Infinity-human I am a human being just like you!" The robot said almost in a happy tone. "My name is Mark Five Zero and it is a pleasure to meet you young lady." Mark 5-0 said turning to Arry who smiled.

"Thank you Mark my name is Arry." She said politely.

"Your name is not Mark Five Zero that is just your operation number, Mark-5-0." Infinity complained looking at the robot.

"No I am human." Mark 5-0 quickly replied.

"I think it's actually kind of cute." Arry said happily.

"No it's annoying that's what it is! Why do you think the people inside New Harbour never let it in the gates? Because it's an annoying machine who won't leave you alone." Infinity said pointing at Mark 5-0.

"This particular human has always been rash and unwilling to befriend me." Mark 5-0 said causing Arry to chuckled a little to herself.

"Why don't they let you inside New Harbour Mark?" Arry asked.

"The humans and civilized ghouls inside have asked me to wait outside and be the official greeter to New Harbour. They believe if a traveller sees a friendly human face at the gate they will not be to afraid to approach and I want to help my fellow human beings where ever I can." Arry heard Infinity let out a long sigh.

"Well you little tin can are you going to let us in?" Infinity said as he and Arry began to walk towards what appeared an entrance door at the bottom of one of the large concrete pillars.

"Yes I can safely acknowledge that both of you are of no harm…" Mark 5-0 said before suddenly releasing a loud static like sound. "I have alerted the door keeper of your arrival. Please enjoy your stay and welcome newcomer Arry-human." With that the robot returned to its routine and Arry and Infinity walked up to the wall.

"Why does he say someones name but then always add human after it?" Arry asked curiously as she watched the machine glide back and forwards nearby them.

"When these annoying pests were designed they were programmed to always identify the type of being it was engaging with so it could keep a count of how many unique individuals were in this specific region."

Turning around Arry watched as very slowly but surely a thick concrete door opened revealing a small doorway into New Harbour and to where she was sure she was going to find her brother.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 New Harbour**

Arry slowly walked through the door noticing that the thick concrete slabs that made up the wall around the city were at least ½ a metre thick and she couldn't imagine how long it would have taken to arrange them all to protect the small town.

"Oh Mark was right another new vaultee who has made it this far." A man said quickly walking out from a nearby shack.

"How did you know?" Arry asked.

"Mark gave us a pretty good description of you and he also said…" The man looked over to see Infinity stepping through the door, "…that our good old friend Infinity was back." The man said crossing his arms. "Been a long time."

"I've been busy." Infinity said quickly. "We used to have fun exploring those Killing Fields you and I in the past." He continued and watched as Randy stepped forward and used all his strength to close the concrete door shut.

"You know exactly why Infinity it was because unlike you I'm getting older and I wanted to settle down somewhere safe and start a family." Randy said turning back around. Randy looked as though he was a man in his late 40's and had brown hair which was starting to grey around the ears.

"How long did you know each other out there?" Arry asked intrigued.

"I met Infinity here when I was around 25 years old. We used to explore the city ruins and find some good loot in the Killing Fields and just have fun going around and killing as many ghouls and rabid dogs as we could. Though there came a time when I thought that enough was enough and I wanted to try and make something of my life and have a family."

"So he left me." Infinity said in a huff.

"Come on now old friend you're making a mountain out of an mole hill. You see Miss when we arrived here one time I met a special someone and decided to stay. It was Infinity who decided to leave and I have only seen him back here 3 or 4 times in the past 10 or so years." He looked to Infinity who said nothing. "I shouldn't be keeping you though I will understand if you want to find somewhere for the night." He said as Arry to suddenly noticed how dark it was starting to get.

"I was going to take her to Sally's Inn. Good old Sally owes me a favour and should be able to put Arry up for the night for free."

"Sleep? I don't have time for that." Arry said suddenly snapping to her senses that she wasn't just here for some kind of field trip she was trying to find her brother. "You haven't see my brother, another vaultee come by in here in the past 24 hours have you?" She asked hopefully as Randy thought for a moment.

"Actually a young man did come by earlier this morning…"

"Was he wearing a vault A-79 uniform?" Arry said sounding excited.

"I'm very sorry Miss but I honestly cannot remember." Randy said shrugging. "Though he did say he was going to go see our local doctor to grab some supplies."

Arry grinned from ear to ear knowing that this had to be her brother as she spun around to Infinity.

"Can you show me the doctor's hut?" She said looking up at him as he nodded. "Thanks Randy!" Arry said happily as she eagerly followed Infinity further into New Harbour.

The entire town consisted of small huts and houses made from what appeared to be mostly debris and there were no buildings that were taller than only a single storey. Arry quickly assumed that due to the materials the people had used to build their homes within the town that they wern't strong enough to be able to support another level.

Walking down the rather narrow streets Arry could see that there was a large variety of people living in the town with ages that seemed to range from small children of 4 or 5 to older people who looked like they were in their 60's. So far though she hadn't seen any of the civilized ghouls that she remembered Infinity mentioning to her and even though she felt bad for thinking it she was glad that there didn't appear to be many around.

"Does that huge concrete wall surround the entire city?" Arry asked curiously.

"Yeah pretty much, there are only two exits the door which we came in from and the water dock access tunnel at the very edge of the town next to the Harbour. There's an old guy there called…Frank or something and for a good amount of items he takes people across to the other side of the harbour on his small boat."

"What's on the other side of the harbour?" Arry asked.

"Exactly the same as you see outside of New Harbour…oh look here we are at North's place." Inifnity said stopping abruptly which almost caused Arry to bump straight into him. "That old coot has moved he used to be further down towards the eastern end of town. Maybe Dr North wanted to be more North facing…." He turned to Arry grinning but she didn't appear to be very amused by his joke.

Arry looked up to see a very crude hand painted sign which simply read, 'Dr North – Physician.'

"Quick lets go inside!" She said with a smile as she quickly made her way to the door.

"No wait a minute I should…' Infinity started but didn't have a chance to finish as Arry ran up to the hut door and flung it open.

"Doctor…?" She asked stepping inside and seeing a man at the end of the rather large rectangular shaped hut wearing a long dirty white coat. The room itself was lit by a multitude of small candles.

"Oh a customer." Dr North said spinning around and looking at Arry who gasped in shock when she saw that he was ghoul. "Oh dear I'm sorry didn't mean to frighten you." He said looking a little embarrassed.

"No…" Arry started quickly shaking her in disappointment at herself. "No I should be sorry I'm just not accustomed to seeing ghouls…."

"You didn't tell her young man?" Dr North said glancing back at Infinity who stepped in beside her.

"This one here is way to impulsive which coming from a vaultee is surprising." Infinity chirped looking down at Arry who was still trying to comprehend that Dr North despite being a ghoul was different than the one who had attacked her previous.

"More vaultee's around? I had heard rumours that those silly nuclear reactors they had powering those things would run out after a certain period of time. It appears as though now is that time." North said in a deep raspy voice as he rubbed his chin.

"Actually Doctor our vaults nuclear generator stopped working until we managed to fix it." Arry quickly added in.

"Oh fantastic we have a budding engineer somewhere then." North said looking excited.

"I'm afraid he died fixing the leak." Arry said sadly thinking back to her father.

"Oh my apologizes dear but that does not explain why you decided to leave the vault?" He asked curiously.

"I've come looking for my brother who ran away. Randy at the entrance said that a man came by here today, he wasn't someone else from a vault was he?" She asked with a glint of hope in her eye.

"I must offer my apologize's once again but this young man was a regular I see who wanders the outer city and comes in for supplies every few weeks."

Arry felt as though her heart had been shattered into a thousand pieces at the news. If her brother wasn't here then where could he be? That was even if he was still alive.

"Look up my child we have many passing visitors that come here so I say rest for the night and continue your search tomorrow, New Harbour is a large place!" He said noticing the sad look on her face.

"Dad who is that you're talking to? Do you want some help?" Arry looked up just in time to see a young woman walk out from a nearby doorway.

"No Phillipa they are just passing through." North said turning to her.

"Well well Infinity back again?" She said blushing slightly as she looked at him.

"Can't keep me away." He grinned at her.

"Wait a minute she's your daughter?" Arry suddenly blustered not understanding how it could be possible.

"This young lady is new to New Harbour dear so she just hasn't heard." North said turning to his daughter who quickly nodded.

"I'm sorry was that to personal." Arry said looking a little embarrassed.

"Oh no please don't worry about it we have nothing to hide." Phillipa said quickly and stepping forward. "A long time ago after my real parents were killed by raider's dad…I mean Dr North stumbled across me as a baby and well decided to adopt me." She smiled.

"How kind of you." Arry said looking up at Dr North and feeling so stupid on how quick she was to judge him and his kind by only first impressions and apperances.

"Now when was the last time you slept you look exhausted." North said stepping closer to Arry and looking at her closely. "Very tired, puffy eyes indeed." He nodded.

"Nearly two days…"Infinity pitched in.

"But I can't stop now what about my brother? I should be out there asking everyone if they have seen him."

"Oh there won't be anyone around now because everyone has probably gone home for the evening." Phillipa said before thinking for a moment. "Oh my do you have anywhere to stay…umm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Arry." Arry said quickly. "I don't have anywhere at the moment I'm afraid."

"I'm sure dad has an extra medical wing room you could spend the night in." Phillipa said spinning around and looking at North for a moment before he sighed and nodded.

"Yes, yes alright but only tonight I'm afraid. I'm sorry if I sound rude but I need my income trades for services to keep this place as well as ourselves alive." Arry quickly nodded in agreement understanding that they were both being to kind.

"I can stay with you to I suppose?" Infinity said walking up to Phillipa who just laughed.

"Go bother Sally at the Inn instead I hear what you two get up to down there." Phillipa said with a smirk.

Arry stood there awkwardly watching Phillipa and Infinity talk until she felt someone tap her shoulder.

"Come now I will show you to your bed for tonight." North said as Arry nodded and slowly walked away with him.

The two walked down a tiny narrow corridor which at the end of it has 3 doors.

"All three are empty. Apologizes for their size but they're not meant to be luxurious." North said before turning around and walking away.

"Thank you!" Arry said after him before stepping forward and opening one of the doors. The room itself was only just wide enough to accommodate a single mattress that laid on the floor. Closing the door behind her the room instantly got quite dark as she laid down on the mattress.

As she lay there she could hear Infinity, Dr North and Phillipa talking outside but soon they quietened down and she couldn't hear them anymore so she assumed they had gone to bed also.

Lying on the mattress she shivered in the cold and because of how thin the mattress was she couldn't find a comfortable spot at all.

Every now and then she heard a sickening scream in the distance of a feral ghoul that was outside New Harbours walls and it didn't matter how many times she heard the sound it always made her jump.

Arry thought back to only a few days before where she had been living in the safety of the vault surrounded by her friends and family where she wasn't hungry, had a lovely warm comfortable bed and had truly felt safe.

Hearing another scream from a ghoul she suddenly sat up in fright and looked around her at the tiny room. Putting her face in her hands she tried to hold back her tears but she couldn't stop them as they rolled down her face. She was scared, alone and all she wished was to find her brother and go back home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7. Boat Fun**

Hearing voices outside Arry slowly opened her eyes and yawned as she sat up on the mattress. She couldn't believe that she had even managed to fall asleep.

Standing up and stretching out her arms she slowly walked over to the door and opened it. She walked down the thin corridor till she reached the main entrance room where Phillipa was sitting down at a small table.

"Oh morning!" Phillipa stand quickly standing up. "How did you sleep?" She asked.

"Alright." Arry lied and looked around to see whether or not Infinity was around. "Is Infinity here?" She asked.

"He went out last night and I don't think he came back this morning." Phillipa said  
thinking to herself. "Probably went out to Sally's like he usually does." She huffed. "Oh where are my manners? Would you like something to eat?" She said quickly as she spun around and took something off the table before turning around and handing it to Arry who took it. "Better eat it quick because my dad will kill me if he sees us sharing what little food we have." She said quickly.

"Oh thank you." Arry said looking down at the food in her hand having no honest idea what it was. "Where is the Doctor this morning?"

"He goes out in the mornings usually to see if he can trade for some water for us for the day."

"Is water really so hard to find?' Arry asked.

"Oh my yes! Even though the bombs were dropped so long ago the water everywhere around here in the city has been radiated beyond belief. It is so hard to find any water that is safe to drink." Phillipa said with a sigh.

Arry was quite thirsty but knew that Phillipa had already been to kind and quickly decided against asking for anything else from her. She also felt a little guilty about how much people out here struggled to find basic needs such as food and water whereas when she lived in the vault it was never a problem.

"I should probably get going to see whether or not my brother is here." Arry said putting the food Phillipa had given her in her pocket having suddenly lost her appetite for whatever it was.

"Oh of course!" Phillipa said quickly. "Would you rather wait till Infinity comes back?" She asked as Arry walked towards the door.

"No that's alright I don't need him. Thank you for everything especially since you didn't have to." She said looking back at Phillipa who just smiled.

"No problem and I hope you find your brother, I know how important having your family with you is in this world."

Nodding Arry opened the door and walked back outside where the street was much livelier than it had been the previous evening.

She didn't need Infinity to hold her hand she said to herself as she looked around. She could find what she was looking for without his help.

As Arry walked around the small town she began to notice that there were actually more civilized ghouls than she had originally thought. She didn't stop to speak to any of them but it made her wonder what the tipping point between these men and women and the feral ghouls were? Was the line between keeping your mind intact and going insane a very thin one? Could it be possible that these ghouls could turn on the normal people here at any given time?

She began to wonder what people did in the town and if they ever ventured outside but she didn't' have to ponder to much because a large man approached her.

"Ah here is the vaultee I missed yesterday." He said putting out his hand. "The name is Major."

Arry put out her hand that he quickly shook.

"I'm Arry." She said.

"I'm the unofficial Mayor of this town so to speak so it's just my job to check to make sure we don't' let any of those beach raiders inside." He sneered.

"Beach raiders?" She asked having no idea what he meant.

"Yeah bloody pests." He complained. "They are group of people who have no plans to even try and return to a civilized existence like we have here. All they want to do is loot, plunder and murder to get there way instead of working together."

"No one had told me about them." Arry said frowning slightly that Infinity hadn't mentioned them at all.

"I'm not surprised and not just because you're a vaultee! These raiders usually keep to the beaches on the far east of old Sydney catching any poor souls who wander down the coast." He said shaking his head. "We recently had an escapee from the beaches who managed to make it here to warn us that they're planning some type of attack to try and take over New Harbour. Poor fella was in a hell of a state even after the Doc patched him up again."

"You seem very well protected in here though." Arry said looking at the huge wall around them.

"True but larger better protected cities like this have fallen in history before…but what am I saying? I'm not here to frighten you! Just checking up on our newest visitor!"

"Do you check every person who comes into the city?" Arry asked curiously.

"Sure do, except the ones that come and go all the time like that drifter that came in with you."

"Have you seen another valtuee come in recently?" Arry asked quickly.

"Sure did! What was his name, Peter something?"

"Paul!" Arry said with a smile.

"That's it! Young fella went down to Frankie at the boat exit into Harbour at the opposite end of town." He said looking down at Arry who was beaming.

"Thank you!" She said happily and without a second thought quickly started to run towards the harbour end of town.

The streets were so narrow that she found herself having to dodge in-between people as she ran who all gave her annoying looks as she did.

When she finally reached the edge of the city she could see what appeared to be a medium sized sewage tunnel in a water inlet that appeared to head straight into the Harbour outside. The tunnel was surrounded by the huge concrete blocks that encased the city and so the small tunnel was the only way through to the outside.

Looking down at the small water basin she saw an older man with a long grey beard tampering with a small dingy on the water.

Arry quickly walked down towards him.

"Are you Frank?" She asked looking down at him.

"Look I can't take you across right now love the boats broken!" He said gruffly not turning around. "Took a visitor across yesterday and ever since I got back the blasted motor won't start and I'm no engineer!" He mumbled angrily.

"This person you took across was he wearing a vault uniform?"

"Yeah he sure was. Blasted vaultees are such a pain but he had more than enough to pay me with in good supplies so I took him across."

"Why do you hate vaultee's?" Arry asked out of curiosity.

"Because they have lived an entire life in paradise whilst we get stuck out here in hell. What makes them so much more special than the rest of us?!" He said angrily still without turning around.

Arry thought about arguing with the man for a moment but quickly decided that it wasn't worth the time especially since she now knew she needed his help to get across the Harbour to find her brother.

"If I find you a replacement motor will you take me across?" She asked as the old man thought to himself for quite a while.

"You bring me a working motor and it's a deal! Better you than me out there looking for a motor with those damn ghouls and feral dogs…" The old man continued to complain to himself as slowly Arry turned and began to walk away.

She not only began to wonder why Paul would want to cross to the other side of the Harbour when Infinity had told her nothing was there. She soon began to wonder how she could find a motor for that small dingy when all the boats she had seen in the harbour appeared to be stuck right in the very middle!

As she began to walk back towards the entrance to New Harbour she decided that she could possibly look for old boats along the Harbour shore and she may be luckily enough to find a motor amongst the wreckage that had washed up along the shore over the years.

As she made her way back towards the entrance she kept an eye out for Infinity amongst the people. Not that she needed him to come with her it was more just so she could say thank you for guiding her here.

When she finally reached the entrance she walked up to the small hut where she had seen Randy exit from the day before.

"Randy?" She said as she knocked on the door.

After a few moment Randy open the door.

"Oh hello again you heading out?" He asked.

"I will be back before it gets dark again." She assured.

"Well make sure you keep safe…Infinity not going with you?" He asked peering behind her.

"I have no idea where he went last night and I haven't seen him all day. He hasn't left already has he?" She asked.

"No he hasn't left but yeah you're right he could be anywhere." The man said shaking his head as he walked over to a nearby lever and using all his weight pushed the lever down which very slowly opened the door to the outside.

"Thanks." Arry said before stepping back outside where she immediately saw Mark 5-0 waiting outside which surprised her for a moment. "Don't those ghouls bother you at night Mark?" She asked as she walked up the eye-bot who turned to face her.

"Greetings again Arry-Human!" Mark said almost happily. "Ghouls usually leave me alone for some reason and I am not sure why." It said unsure but before it could say anything else Arry heard someone running up behind her.

"There you are!" Infinity said puffing slightly. "Phillipa told me you'd gone out and it took me forever to find you again."

"I didn't think you were going to come with me anymore since you're probably not bored anymore especially when you have all those people in New Harbour to talk to." She said crossing her arms.

"Just catching up with a few friends that's all." He said shrugging.

"I see." Arry said with a slight frown but decided to leave the subject alone.

"Frank told me about his boat issues and said that you were coming out here to try and find a new motor? I mean you coming out here alone is crazy enough let alone you wanting to go looking down along the harbour shore for boat motors! Do you have any idea how toxic that water if for you?"

"Well I wasn't planning on going swimming." Arry was slightly annoyed that Frank hadn't told her that the water was toxic.

"What did I tell you about trusting people?' He said shaking his head and turning to face Mark 5-0 as though he had only just noticed the machines presence. "Oh great the tin can is bothering you already." He complained.

"Actually I was thinking Mark may be able to help us with something." Arry thought aloud as she turned to Mark 5-0.

"Help us go insane? I may turn into a feral ghoul yet." Infinity said rolling his eyes.

"Because we can't really get wet Mark can search some of the wreckage close to the shore on the Harbour and if he finds a motor we could work out how to get it without getting wet." She said nodding to herself.

"Well actually there is something else you should probably know about ghouls…and me." Infinity said as Arry turned back to him. "Radiation and the toxins from it in the water actually don't affect us and is actually a healing agent." When he finished Arry looked up at him in disbelief, the entire concept of ghouls were confusing her more and more every time she learnt more about them.

"Hmm but Mark can still help us and it will save you getting wet for nothing." Arry said quickly changing the plan.

"Afraid I'm going to catch as cold?" Infinity grinned as Arry rolled her eyes and turned back to Mark.

"I know the people inside told you to wait here and greet the newcomers but do you think it would be alright to come with us just for a few hours Mark?" She asked.

For a moment Mark 5-0 didn't say anything and simply let out a long static noise.

"My supervisor has agreed to allow me to accompany you on this important task but has requested my returned before dark Arry-Human." Mark 5-0 said.

"Fantastic!" Arry said with a smile. "Now quick let's get going we have to repair that boat before I can go across the Harbour to find my brother." She said as her and Mark 5-0 quickly began to travel back towards the Harbours edge with Infinity close behind.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8. Waiting For You**

The edge of the Harbour where there used to be a multitude of parks and walkways was now nothing more than a dirty, dusty, rubble covered walkway littered with garbage.

The harbour side was not like the beach side and instead of sand separating the walkway from the water there was a rocky barrier that went down around one metre into the water splashing ashore below.

"People used to fish along here all the time." Infinity commented as they walked down the pathway.

"There wouldn't be anything alive in that water now would there?" She asked looking down closely at the water which looked very thick and murky and seemed to have an oily slick cover on the top of it.

"Not anymore…once watched a guy eat a dead fish he found in there…not a pretty picture." He said shaking his head.

"I can confirm with Infinity-Human that no recorded animal life has been recorded in that water for over 90 years." Mark 5-0 chirped in.

"You're supposed to be flying just above the waterline over there to search for any engines that Arry and I can't see with our eyes instead of floating here annoying me-us."

"Of course!" Mark 5-0 said and slowly hovered out over the water.

"Stupid machine." Infinity grumbled to himself. "I mean how does it explain that not only does it not look like a human but it can fly?" He said looking confused and shaking his head.

"We're supposed to be looking for an engine and not worrying about what Mark is doing remember?" Arry said as she looked down into the rocks which seemed to be full of normal trash and twisted metal pieces rather than anything useful.

"You know what I don't understand…" Infinity started.

"Look if this is another rant about Mark 5-0 can you keep it yourself this time…" Arry complained. She was sick of Infinity complaining which was all he had been doing all day.

"I wasn't going to complain about that stupid machine this time." He pouted. "I was going to say that I wonder why your brother wanted to go across to the other side I mean there's nothing over there…" Infinity started to think for a moment causing Arry to stop and turn to him. "Wait a minute I think I understand."

"Is there another New Harbour like town over there?" Arry asked.

"No but if you continue up north west from across the Harbour you will eventually after a long trip come across New Sydney…how could I possibly forget about that place." Infinity said in disbelief.

"New Sydney? Is it like New Harbour?"

"No!" Infinity said quickly. "Compared to New Sydney New Harbour is a dump! New Sydney is a city up north located beside a large dam. It's a very privileged type city where they are extremely picky about who they let in. They only ever let you in if you have something to offer them."

"Have you ever been there?"

"I think two or three times….I even stayed there for quite a long period of time and did some work for them. There ghoul population from what I recall is extremely low and they needed me to work on extracting some radioactive sources from around the city so they could extend. If I recall correctly they paid me quite handsomely! Best food I'd ever had for a long time." He said licking his lips.

"If it was so nice why did you leave?" Arry queried.

"I don't like staying in the same place to long. I'm more of a lone ranger type of guy…" He said coolly with a grin looking down at Arry who just shook her head.

"I wonder why my brother wants to go there…." Arry thought out aloud.

"How do you know he was going there?"

"Where else could he be going?"

"That's true."

The two stopped talking when Mark 5-0 glided back over to them.

"Excuse me but there appears to be an inlet further ahead and I wish to know where you would like me to go." Mark 5-0 said.

Looking ahead of them Arry noticed that the main Harbour continued on down towards the distance but a small inlet that looked as though it would have been large enough for a decent sized ferry to go down extended further inland.

"Maybe we should go inland and see?" She asked looking at Infinity who thought for a moment.

"I bet this little inlet doesn't go very far inland so it would be a waste of time for us all to go. Look you and the machine wait here for a second and look around some more whilst I go and have a quick look and see if it's worth our time." He said turning around.

"Why should I have to stay here?" Arry said quickly.

"It's more likely there will be trouble further inland so it's safer for you here and besides I can take care of myself." Infinity said with a smile as he continued to walk forward further inland following the inlet.

"Fine." Arry called after him as she turned back around and crossed her arms.

-

As she waited with Mark 5-0 who continued to hover around close offshore looking for any motor pieces Arry suddenly remembered the warning that Major had given her back at New Harbour about those Beach Raiders and wondered whether or not it was such a good idea for her and Infinity to have split up.

"Mark!" Arry called out and watched as the machine quickly came over to her."

"Yes Arry-Human?" It asked.

"Have you ever encountered those Beach Raiders Major described to me?"

"There is no need to worry Arry-Human those raiders remain on the coastal beaches to the east. We are currently located and are heading due west and so the likelihood of us encountering those beach raiders is very low. "

"What about those other raiders that Infinity mentioned live around here?" Arry said looking around her.

"Unknown. City raider movements are unpredictable as are the movements of feral ghouls."

"Ok thanks Mark." Arry nodded knowing that despite the fact she felt quite safe having Mark and Infinity with her she still had to be careful.

Watching as Mark 5-0 hovered back out offshore to scan for motor parts Arry sat down on the ground and took out the piece of food Phillipa had given her. She looked down at it and gave it a quick whiff but it really didn't smell like anything at all. She hadn't eaten anything proper in at least a day so taking a deep breath she bit down and was surprised that despite whatever it was tasting quite salty it wasn't too bad. Eating half of whatever it was she put half back inside her pocket to give to Infinity when he returned and she had to admit that she hoped that was soon.

-

After what seemed like an hour Arry started to get a little concerned when Infinity hadn't returned and so quickly decided that she was going to go and find him.

"Mark…" Arry called out as the machine quickly glided over to her. "I need you to wait here for me, I'm going to go find Infinity."

"Of course." Mark 5-0 replied.

Turning around from the rocky shore Arry began to walk back along the inlet and towards where Infinity had disappeared to.

As she began to walk she could see that at one time the inlet must have been much larger because there were quite a few destroyed homes alongside it all with small broken wharves that seemed to lead into where the water at one stage must have been. The water obviously at one stage must have been much higher whereas now it just a trickle that wouldn't have been higher than less than a metre high if you were to stand in it.

The people who lived in these houses must have all their own private boats and they used the inlet to get out into the harbour which she believed must have been something that only a few of the most wealthy residents could afford. She soon realized that there was a high chance that perhaps one of the boats that once had docked at these houses wharves may still be nearby and have a motor she could use.

Walking through the rubble of one of the houses towards the back of it she quickly noticed that the entire way along the inlet appeared to be completely empty with no boat remains at all. She sighed and decided that she was to optimistic to think that others hadn't previously plundered what would have been some very expensive boats.

As she continued she started to grow even more concerned when she couldn't see Infinity up ahead of her despite the entire area being completely flat apart from the broken houses.

"Infinity are you there?" She called out as loud as she could.

Listening she didn't hear any reply but heard something moving in the rubble of one of the broken houses around her causing her to quickly spin around.

Quickly taking the small pistol out of her pocket and switching the safety lock off she held onto it tightly as she slowly began to walk forward to where she heard the sound. Before she could reach the rubble she heard another sound further down the road and saw a shadowy figure dart across the road from one piece of rubble to the next.

Feeling her nerves start to grow and her heart beat quicken she went against her better judgment and started to make her way towards where she had seen the shadowy figure hide.

As she approached the rubble where she had seen the shadowy figure she heard a noise behind her and instantly spun around holding her gun out and watching as a group of figures slinked out of a nearby damaged house onto the road.

"Who are you?" Arry yelled and watched the figures slowly walk forward until they moved into the sun.

"We are the Brotherhood of the future Earth." One man said as she stepped into the sunlight revealing his ghoulish figure.

"What have you done with my friend?" She said watching the group of 5 or 6 ghouls in front of her very closely and not lowering her weapon.

"You assume we have something of yours?' The ghoul said in an almost playful voice and looked at Arry who didn't look very amused. "I see that we have a human with a brain. How very rare." He shrugged and clapped his hands boredly as from the same rubble two more ghouls stepped out with Infinity who looked directly at Arry.

"You idiot why didn't you stay where you were?" He said with a sigh.

"Let him go now!" Arry said angrily as all the ghouls laughed a little.

"The little girl with the tiny little weapon really thinks she can give us orders?" The head ghoul said shaking his head as Arry started to grow extremely worried. "Alright I can make deals." He said as Arry watched him grab a shotgun from a nearby ghoul and walk over to Infinity and put the barrel up next to his head. "I will give you 5 seconds to put that gun down or else I'll blow your friends head off." He said calmly.

Arry knew deep down that she had no chance against all of the ghouls alone and couldn't risk doing anything for fear that they would kill Infinity.

"5…4..." The ghoul started as Arry quickly decided to do as she was told and threw the small pistol to the ground in front of her. "Excellent." The head ghoul said turning back to Infinity. "I'm glad we don't have to kill anyone." He finished and lowered the shotgun before throwing it back to the ghoul whom he had taken it from.

Before Arry had a chance to do anything she saw in the corner of eye a ghoul jump out from the shadows behind her and push her forward. The ghoul pushed her forward till she was standing in front of the head ghoul.

"Such a pretty girl, you will do nicely." The main ghoul said gently pushing back the hair that had fallen in front of Arry's face.

"Don't touch me…" She said in a low voice.

"Oh do I frighten you do I?" The ghoul said laughing and taking a step closer so they were face to face. "Don't be scared because soon you'll learn to love your ghoulish comrades."

"What are you going to do with us?" Arry asked as the ghoul took a step back.

"That is simple we are going to turn you into one of us…whether you like it or not." He said looking at the horrified look on Arry's face as she was pushed to walk forwards and the entire group began to walk further inland.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9. Welcome To The New Age**

Arry walked along with the ghouls as she was told and made sure to keep up because every time she slowed at all the ghoul behind would hit and push her forward.

She could see Infinity not far ahead of her and she noticed how most of the ghouls seemed to be intrigued by him. Soon enough the entire group except the head ghoul and Arry's guard had stopped to crowd around him.

"Why are we stopping?!" The head ghoul barked and spun around.

"This one…he smells like one of us." One of the ghouls said turning to the head ghoul.

"Impossible!" Another hissed.

The head ghoul roughly pushed past the others until he was face to face with Infinity.

"Well hello again." Infinity said looking at ghoul who suddenly punched him in the face without saying a word. Arry went to step forward but the ghoul behind her quickly grabbed her.

The head ghoul had a good sniff of Infinity just like Arry would expect wild animals to smell something they were unsure about.

"He may that one we have heard about…" Another ghoul said slinking up to the head ghoul who thought for a moment.

"This is easy enough to prove, he will be the first into the pit!" The head ghoul growled and spun back around and pointed into the distance. "Let us move the ceremony begins tomorrow at sunrise and it is already growing dark!" He said in a low voice as the convoy began to walk forward again.

As they walked Arry couldn't help but feel completely confused because to her these ghouls didn't seem to be feral but yet they didn't seem to be civilized either? It was almost as though they were just simply a rogue pack of ghouls much like the human beachside raiders.

The walked for what seemed like hours without saying a word until soon it was almost getting to dark to see.

Finally Arry squinted her eyes and could see what appeared to be a large mound in the distance which had two large fires next to it. As they walked closer she could soon see that the mound had a door which appeared to lead down into the ground. Was this a vault maybe? Arry thought as the group walked towards the entrance.

At the main entrance two ghouls in ragged clothing stood and seemed to grow excited by the sight of herself and Infinity and the two of them watched eagerly as the small group walked past them into the doorway.

Once they were through the doorway Arry noticed that there was quite a steep staircase that lead down into the ground. The further they went down the more and more Arry began to wonder whether or not this was another type of vault that had kept people safe? But then why was it in the middle of the city whereas all the others she knew of were outside the city?

Finally the staircase down ended and one of the ghouls opened at door at the bottom which when opened revealed a huge bunker that was at least 2 storeys high and extended into the distance.

As the group walked in all the ghouls sitting inside instantly ran over to them which made Arry panic for a moment thinking that maybe the head ghoul had lied and she and Infinity were nothing more than snacks. She breathed a sigh of relief when the ghouls stopped and formed a large circle around the group each of them eyeing her and Infinity.

"Where is my Queen?" The head ghoul barked angrily as Arry looked around and watched as a ghoul quickly burst through the circle and ran up towards him.

"My King." The female ghoul said quickly bowing before him and kissing his hand.

This was the first time that Arry had ever seen a ghoul where she could say for sure that they were female. She still hadn't encountered enough ghouls to be able to tell males and females apart because most of them with their badly rotted faces and torn baggy clothes all looked so similar.

"My brothers I have brought new meat to join our group and help us cleanse the world of these short lived humans…" He said turning to Infinity and spitting on the ground in front of him. All the ghouls started to chatter quietly to each other in excitement. "Now I am tired and work has to be done to prepare the pit…you woman…" He said looking down at the Queen in front of him and grabbing her torn shirt he picked her up and threw her towards Arry. "You will look after this one…do it well because this pretty young thing may soon replace you." The King laughed and was joined in by most of the ghouls whilst the Queen quickly nodded.

"You with me…" The Queen hissed at Arry as she grabbed her arm and began to drag her away towards a small makeshift hut at the edge of the bunker.

"No wait!" Infinity said quickly spinning around and went to run forward but before he had a chance to move one of the ghouls fired a shotgun at his feet causing him to spin back around.

"I'll be fine." Arry called out quickly looking back at Infinity who for a moment looked as though he was going to ignore her but soon enough gave a slight nod as two ghouls grabbed him and began to drag him to the other side of the bunker.

Arry watched him until the Queen reached a hut door and pushed it open before pushing Arry inside so hard that she feel onto the ground.

"Sit, wait." She hissed again as Arry slowly stood back up and watched Queen take out a pistol from her baggy pants and stand beside the door so that Arry couldn't see outside.

"Why don't you just close the door?" Arry asked looking confused.

"No locks!" The Queen spun around and growled.

Although all the ghouls she had ever seen excluding Infinity had no hair left on their head Arry was surprised that the Queen still have a few strands of what appeared to be golden blonde hair on her head.

"That King doesn't treat you much like a Queen." Arry said as she took a step forward towards the door.

"No talking!" The Queen barked angrily and spun around. "Talk again I will hit you."

Arry looked up at her but said nothing as she slowly took a few steps back and slid down the wall till she was sitting down. She tried to look outside to see where they had taken Infinity but she couldn't see anything.

Sighing she rubbed her face with her hands knowing that with so many ghouls with weapons outside there was no way she could even make a run for the exit door…she was trapped.

After many hours of waiting the Queen had also sat down and was leaning against the door frame watching Arry who still hadn't moved.

"Can I at least ask you one question?" Arry asked looking at the Queen who said nothing. "What are they going to do to me?"

"Expose you to the radiation pit and turn you into one of us…" The Queen replied in a low voice.

"Is that what they did to you?"

"I have been this way since the bombs dropped and King rescued me." She said solemnly.

"He treats you so horribly Queen. There are some ghouls outside who are being accepted by humans if you can help me we can get out of here and I will take you there." Arry said hopefully.

"You understand nothing of what it is to be like this!" Queen hissed angrily. "Why am I even talking to you?" She shook her head.

"Then tell me what it's like." Arry said truthfully looking at Queen who looked a little taken aback.

"Is this a trick because I will beat you if you try to escape! No one ever escapes from here!" Queen said and slowly shuffled around so she was facing Arry instead of facing outside. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

"You seem to be so much more civilized than the others here except for King, the others seem almost feral." Arry said thinking back to when she first arrived and they had crowded around her like a pack of hungry wild dogs.

"I am second in command of our kin here I have to be!" She said proudly.

"You seem to be in charge of a pack of murderers…how many people have you turned into ghouls here against their will?"

"None…" Queen said and looked down at the ground. "The radiation pit has killed every normal person we have brought in here, some much quicker than others." Arry started to feel as though she was going to be sick but she tried to keep it hidden.

"What is your real name Queen? And what happened to you?" Arry asked. "My name is Arry."

"You're a vaultee." Queen hissed before pausing for quite some time before continuing. "My first name was Michelle, I used to have long beautiful golden hair down to my waist, all the boys always wanted to go out with me." She gave a small smile.

"You sounded very pretty Michelle." Arry said smiling back.

"That was until after the bombs dropped and suddenly this disease took over my body, my beautiful hair fell out, my skin began to rot and any normal people I met would laugh and point, beat me up and call me such horrible names…" She said biting her lip and shaking her head. "Every time I see someone like you out there I…I get jealous…and angry."

Arry slowly stood up and hesitantly took a few steps forward and was carefully watched by Queen as she sat down beside her at the door.

"You're better than this Michelle you must know that don't you? That King does not treat you like a Queen and those feral ghouls out there seem to be more hell bent on murder than trying to turn anyone into a ghoul because why would you keep trying to turn innocents into ghouls that way if none of them have ever worked…?"

"It will work and we will turn all you horrible smooth skins into us…" Queen retorted before quickly stopping. "I have been here for so long…we have…murdered so many people, so many children."

"Listen to me Michelle if you help me and my friend escape I promise you that I will take you out of here."

"You, you promise me that these people at that place won't hurt me anymore." Queen said turning to face Arry who nodded. "I don't know what we can do there are at least 50 ghouls living here with King and all of them follow him blindly, he killed the last ghoul who spoke back to him."

Arry thought to herself for awhile trying to think of a way that she could get herself, Michelle and Infinity out when the entire underground bunker was overrun with ghouls who wouldn't think twice about murdering any of them. Thinking back to King it was then she had an idea.

"All these ghouls look up to King who thinks himself to be the King of this new world you were intending to create right?" Arry asked as Queen nodded. "If he believes himself to be the King and the others blindly follow him then all we have to do is somehow find a way to put his life in danger because if he believes himself to be so important he nor his ghouls will risk getting him killed."

"There is no way to get close to him he is always surrounded by guards…." Queen said as she looked up to see Arry looking at her.

"You…if you can somehow get beside him at this ceremony and just before it begins if you use a large gun and point it at him you can use him as a bargaining chip whilst you, me and Infinity walked back towards the entrance."

Queen quickly stood up shaking her head.

"Impossible we'll all be killed." She said as Arry quickly jumped up beside her.

"If you don't do this Michelle he will continue to treat you like dirt and will continue to murder people." Arry said.

Before Queen had a chance to reply she suddenly sniffed the air and without a second thought pushed Arry away from her and spun around just in time to see a ghoul walk up to the door.

"Ceremony Queen, starting, need prisoner." The ghoul spluttered out.

Glancing back at Arry Queen nodded.

"Taker her I will be with our King." She said holding her head up high and stepping out of the doorway leaving Arry and the ghoul alone.

Arry watched as the ghoul walked forward and forcibly grabbed her arm and began to drag her outside.

Once outside Arry could see that all the ghouls were walking down towards the very back of the bunker but she couldn't see Infinity amongst the crowd and she began to worry about what they had done to him.

"Where is my friend?" Arry asked but the ghoul just growled and said nothing.

As they near the end of the bunker Arry could see that the very end seem to dip down and it wasn't until she was much closer that she could see a small pit of radioactive waste surrounded by radioactive barrels. Her pip-boy began beep furiously as the ghoul who was pulling her along edged closer and closer towards the pit.

When the ghoul broke through a crowd gathering around it Arry suddenly saw Infinity next to the pit, he turned to face her with a relieved look.

"Sunrise is upon us my brothers!" The King roared as Arry looked around to see King standing on a small platform just to the side of the pit but she could also see that Queen was not there beside him. "Today will be the day that out experiment will work and we will have found a way to make these human abominations into the new world race!" As he finished murmurs began around the crowd. "I have heard rumours of some of you believing that this male is the one whom the ghoul process failed on." Arry watched a two ghouls pushed Infinity forward towards the pit. "My brothers we will now figure out if this is a true rumour!"

"No stop!" Arry yelled as she struggled to break free from the ghoul that was holding her as two ghoul pushed Infinity forward into the pit. Arry could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as a silence came over the entire bunker.

"Fantastic, I'm covered in it!" She heard Infinity say as he slowly pulled himself up out of the pit his long jacket covered in radioactive material.

As soon as he had climbed out and stood in front of them hisses and inaudible shouts instantly rang out and to Arry they didn't seem to be very pleased by what they were seeing.

"I will keep this…mutant for studies." The King said sounding absolutely disgusted. "But never fear we do have someone to change today." He said pointing down to Arry who till that point had remained quite calm but now started to panic.

"No you can't!" Infinity said but was quickly silenced when one of the ghouls who had been holding him quickly punched him knocking him to his knees and he was quickly restrained and pulled away from the pit by at least 3 ghouls who struggled to hold him back.

Before she had time to think the ghoul holding her suddenly began to drag Arry forward towards the pit and no matter how hard she struggled he was to strong and she couldn't break free from his grasp.

Just as she was about to be thrown in she heard a scream.

"Enough!" Arry and all the ghouls looked up to see Queen standing beside King on the platform with a shotgun aimed directly at his head.

"You…" King snarled.

"Let them go or I will kill our beloved King!" Queen demanded looking down at all the ghouls who seemed unsure of what to do and it was then Arry began to wonder whether or not she had misjudged their loyalty.

"Do it you damn fools!" King yelled and as soon as he did the ghoul holding onto Arry quickly let go and she spun around to see that they had also let Infinity go as well and he quickly stripped off his coat and ran up to Arry looking a little puzzled.

"Now you are all going to let us get to the door or else King dies." Queen growled angrily as slowly she began to lead King down the small ramp and towards the only exit door to the stairs that lead to the outside.

Arry watched as the ghouls very slowly moved aside leaving a small path where her and Infinity could walk through past them back towards the exit.

Slowly but surely Arry and Infinity began to walk through the crowd which looked as though at any given second they would jump at them and literally rip them to shreds.

"I have no idea what's going on…" Infinity said in a low voice looking at Arry.

"I'm glad you're alright to." Arry whispered as the two quickly walked over to Queen who was walking with King beside her with the gun still placed firmly beside his head.

"I have two pistols in my clothes take them." Queen said as Arry quickly nodded and stepped forward and took them both.

"We're nearly there…" Arry said quickly handing a pistol to Infinity who took it.

As they walked back the crowd of 50 or so ghouls began to slowly follow after them.

"Not to dampen the mood but there is no way we're going to be able to outrun all these things." Infinity said looking down at Arry as they reached the doorway.

"It's this or nothing." She said looking a little sad knowing that he was telling the truth and they would most likely not be able to make it very far.

Once they reached the door Arry stepped through first and watched as Queen slowly stepped through still holding the gun to King's head as Infinity stepped through and King turned to face them.

"I swear that I will find and kill you all so slowly that you'll wish you were a ghoul!" He spat.

"Good luck with that…" Infinity said taking a step forward and punching him in the face sending him falling back onto the floor before he quickly slammed the door shut and broke off the handle. "That won't hold them for long...we have to go right now." He said spinning around as the door began to shake.

The three quickly began to make a mad dash up the stairs but when they reached the half way point Queen suddenly grabbed Arry's hand stopping her.

"Quickly we have no time to stop!" Arry said quickly turning to face her as Queen let go. Infinity stopped but Arry quickly motioned him to go on.

"I have a plan…" Queen said shakily putting her hands in another pocket and pulling out a large grenade.

"Don't be silly we can all make it come on!" Arry said quickly looking at Queen who just shook her head and gave a small smile.

'Thank you for helping me realize that I was better than what I had become and making me remember a time when I was beautiful...now please go"

"I'm sorry Michelle." Arry said sadly as she turned to start running back upstairs.

"Never let anyone tell you that you aren't beautiful." Queen said softly as they exchanged one last glance before Arry quickly began to run back up the stairs.

Once she was outside she saw Infinity standing there waiting for her.

"What was that about? Where is that ghoul?" He asked but Arry had no time to reply as she just grabbed his hand and the two began to run away from the bunker.

As they were running there was suddenly a loud explosion that shook the ground. Slowly coming to a stop Arry turned back around to see in the morning light as the bunker mound collapsed in on itself.

"Did that ghoul just do what I think he did?" Infinity said turning to Arry who nodded and looked at the broken smoking bunker.

"She did…she just saved us both."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 – Past Mistakes**

"So let me get this straight that ghoul who was the Queen but was really called Michelle decided to help us because…?" Infinity said looking down at Arry as the two walked alongside the inlet back towards the Harbour.

"She was just looking for a little respect that she hadn't gotten for a very long time." Arry sighed. "I do wish she could have come back with us to New Harbour."

"She would have been accepted there for sure but do you remember what I said about New Sydney? They wouldn't have let her in simply because of how she looked unless she offered them something really amazing and even then…"

"I guess some things never really do change." Arry said knowing that people were always judged on their appearance no matter what some people tried to convince you which meant that there was almost no chance that once civilized society returned that ghouls would ever be fully accepted by people.

As they walked the two of them kept an eye out in the inlet for any signs of boat parts but just as Arry had seen on the way in there was nothing there at all, everything had been stripped years and years ago.

"We should just head back to New Harbour and maybe try up river instead." Infinity said slightly annoyed that they had been wandering for hours with no luck.

"We have to go back at get Mark first." Arry said quickly remembering how she had told it to wait beside the Harbour.

"Oh come on we'll be doing everyone a favour by leaving that thing where it is." Infinity complained.

"I have no idea why you two hate each other so much." Arry said with a small smile as they walked.

"Oh I have a million reasons…" He started.

After another hour Arry and Infinity finally reached the Harbour shore again and saw Mark 5-0 waiting where he had been told to wait. As soon as it saw them it quickly hovered over.

"I am very pleased to see both of you again." Mark 5-0 said spinning around happily. "When you disappeared Arry-Human and did not return I was concerned for your safety."

"Well what about me?" Infinity said crossing his arms.

"Of course Infinity-Human." Mark 5-0 said turning to him.

"You didn't have any trouble with ghouls last night did you?" Arry asked looking around but saw that nothing seemed to have changed.

"No ghoul or human activities were detected in this area during the night."

"We're going to go further west past New Harbour to try and find a motor Mark we might have a better chance up steam." Arry said as Mark 5-0 turned back to her.

"There will be no need for that Arry-Human because whilst you were gone I found what I believe is a motor that may be of some use to you."

"Really?" Both Arry and Infinity said at the same.

"Near the inlet opening I have detected a small vessel covered by sediment. Readings indicate the possibility of a small motor still attached."

"That's fantastic news!" Arry said with a broad smile. "Hopefully we'll be able to find it and get across the river as soon as possible!"

Both Arry and Infinity walked towards the opening of the inlet where Mark 5-0 showed them to a sandy bar. Scanning it for a moment with her pip-boy to make sure it wasn't heavily radiated Arry was happy to note that it wasn't.

"Well let's get started!" She said quickly bending down and digging up sand with her hands.

"Don't you think it would be better to get some shovels from somewhere?" Infinity said looking down at her.

"Oh come on it's just sand." Arry said looking up at him.

"I've already lost a good jacket." He said crossing his arms.

"I'll get you another one I promise but only after we get this out and take it back to New Harbour." She said looking up at Infinity who thought for a moment before sighing and bending down to help her.

"I hope your brother appreciates what you're doing for him…I mean you nearly died last night." Arry turned to him, it was the first time either of them had really spoken about what happened that morning other than speaking generally about what had happened to Michelle.

"We both nearly died you mean." She replied quickly. "Look don't worry about it…"

"But you could have died because of me! Because I didn't look after you like I should have." Infinity said angrily as he stopped digging and turned to her. "I can't let it happen again." He said shaking his head and quickly returned to digging.

"What do you mean again?" Arry asked as she stopped digging.

"It's nothing important…"

"Of course it is! You're getting angry at me for something that neither of us could have prevented!" Arry quickly rebutted as Infinity stopped digging and turned to face her.

"Why do you even care so much?" He said frowning.

"I'd like to think we're friends…"

"We are." Infinity turned to face Arry as he took a deep breath. "Fine...a long time ago I too once had a family, a mum, a dad and a younger sister. The day those bombs started to drop on Sydney we were all at my parent's house having lunch…both my parents were killed almost instantly from the radiation but me and my sister both survived and decided to live in the remains of our parents house together. For a while we both seemed to be fine, neither of us had been affected by the radiation and neither of us seemed to be getting sick. A few weeks later something started to happen to my sister, her hair began to fall out and her skin started to dry and peel off. She used to hide in her room all day and cry about how ugly she was. I told her that it didn't matter what she looked like because she would always be beautiful in my eyes and would always be my sister. Eventually she came out of her room and everything seemed to fine again at least for a few weeks. I started to notice that soon my sister started to become very angry and agitated all the time, she would lash out at me over every little thing and she wouldn't stop talking about mum and dad. Sometimes she would go out during the day and I wouldn't see her for a few days and when she came home she was usually covered in blood and would have this frightening look in her eyes." He paused and took a deep breath. "I could see her starting to change into something, something scary and frightening and it was eating away and destroying who my sister was. At the time no one knew about feral ghouls and how the process could cause some people to become insane and so at the time I didn't know what was happening to her and nothing I did could seemed to help. One day she came home and started to scream and yell at me that it wasn't fair that I was unaffected by this disease and that she hated me because I looked the same whilst she had in her words had become a monster that mum and dad would be ashamed of. I tried to tell her it didn't matter how she looked to me but she didn't listen and she attacked me." Infinity slowly trailed off and looked into the distance. "I couldn't save her…I couldn't save my only sister and today I couldn't save you, you could have died and it would have been my fault."

Arry had no idea that Infinity had been hiding something so painful that had been a shadow over him for his entire life, he had always seemed so in control and positive to her.

"I don't know what to say Infinity other than I am so sorry." She said looking up at him.

"It was all so long ago..." He sighed turning back to look at Arry who went to give him a hug but Mark 5-0 suddenly floated in between them.

"Yes this is the correct spot Arry-Human keep digging!" It said as Arry quickly pulled back..

"You're right you little tin can let's find this thing so we can go help your brother." Infinity said quickly looking back down at the sand as he started to dig.

Arry looked at him and went to say something but decided that it wasn't the time and they could talk later. Looking back down she continued to dig.

* * *

After what seemed like an hour finally the two came across small dingy type boat which had it's small engine still sitting on the back.

"Well done Mark." Arry said turning to Mark 5-0 who hovered nearby.

"My pleasure." It replied.

"It looks pretty rusted to me…" Infinity said grabbing the engine and to his surprise it broke right off sending him falling back into the sand.

"Maybe they will have some equipment so we can get all the sand out at new Harbour?" Arry wondered as Infinity dropped the small engine onto the sand in front of them.

"That's not our problem Frank can work that out. We've done all the hard work so he can do the rest." He said looking down at the engine.

"What if he won't?" Arry asked concerned that they had come too far to give up now just because they didn't want to clean the motor.

"Oh he'll take our deal. I've known him for a while and he's to cowardly to come and find his own engine and without it his little ferry business will go out of business." Infinity grinned.

"That seems rather harsh." Arry said with a slight frown.

"That's the way New Harbour works and besides we're all gaining something…" Before he could finish Mark 5-0 interrupted.

"Detecting a human signature nearby heading this way." It said hovering down to Arry and Infinity who looked at each before quickly pulling out their pistols and looking into the distance where a shadowy figure began to approach them.

"Is he alone?" Infinity asked.

"Yes Infinity-Human." Mark 5-0 replied.

Arry squinted to see who the person was but all she could make out was that it was definitely a lone man and after what they had just been through she wasn't too concerned.

As the man neared them Infinity suddenly lowered his weapon and sighed. Arry quickly lowered her weapon as well and watched as the man who was wearing a dirty black cheap suit, was wearing black sunglasses and was carrying rather large bag on his back approached them.

"You…" Infinity said as the man walked up to them.

"Who is he?" Arry asked turning to Infinity but before he had a chance to reply the other man quickly jumped in.

"The name is Hustler and dealing rare goods is my game." He said dropping his bag behind him. "Now let's see what we have." He said turning around and searching through his bag. "How about some lovely smelling soaps for the beautiful woman?" He said pulling out some small packet soaps and showing Arry who blushed slightly as she looked down at them.

"We're not interested Hustler." Infinity said in an annoyed voice.

"Infinity how about some classy sunglasses like mine? Or how about a genuine bottle of fresh spring water? It's on special for a short time only!" Hustler said pulling out a bottle of water and a pair of sunglasses from his bag.

"We don't have anything to trade." Arry confessed intrigued at all the items Hustler had in his bag.

"Nothing eh? What about that amazing looking eye-bot robot there?" Hustler said looking at Mark 5-0. "Trade it and I will give you a fantastic deal!"

"I'm not for sale Hustler-Human and human slavery is forbidden." Mark 5-0 said as Hustler laughed.

"It's funny, I'll increase the trades for it!" Hustler said eagerly.

"Look we're not interested alright and we have to get going back to New Harbour." Infinity said crossing his arms.

"Excellent me to! I have a lot of great items to trade there, mind if I join you?" He said quickly throwing his items back in his bag before zipping it up and putting it back on.

"Fine." Infinity said rolling his eyes as he turned to Arry. "Just ignore him and don't buy anything from him ok?" He said as he slowly picked up the motor.

"Do you want help with that?" Arry asked knowing that it must be quite heavy.

"He'll be fine gorgeous and besides carrying that heavy thing is no type of work for a young lady like yourself to be doing!" Hustler said walking over and standing beside her. "Walk and talk with me dear."

Infinity grumbled angrily as the three began to walk back towards New Harbour with Mark 5-0 hovering after them.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Set Sail

"Remarkable story you have there sweetheart." Hustler said as he, Arry, Infinity and Mark 5-0 made there way back to New Harbour.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but where do you get all that stuff of yours?" Arry asked wondering where on Earth he could find such strange items in a world where everything had already been plundered.

"He steals it." Infinity grumbled behind the pair.

"Oh please Infinity stop giving her bad ideas about me!" Hustler exclaimed. "You see dear I get all these amazing items from the vaults beyond the Killing Fields."

"I don't understand aren't all the vaults supposed to be sealed and not opened? Especially not to allow visitors inside." Arry said thinking back to her life in the vault where there had been strict rules that no one from the outside was to come in and no one inside was to leave.

"Like my suit?" Hustler asked as Arry looked at him a little confused on what that had to do with anything. "What do I look like to you?"

Thinking for a moment Arry quickly realized exactly what he was or rather what he was pretending to be.

"You're pretending to be a government official to get in and out of the vaults right?" She asked as Hustler nodded happily.

"Not only are you pretty young lady but you also have a brain! All that vault education right?" He grinned.

"I've never heard of anyone ever trying to get into Vault A-79 whilst I was there." Arry thought to herself.

"There could be two possible reasons why not. Firstly not all vaults let me in, some of them are smart enough to see through my cheap suit and secondly maybe I have been to your vault and your overseer just hadn't informed anyone else that I was trying to get in."

Thinking back to the Donald's in the vault Arry had to assume that one of the many secrets they were keeping was most likely that they didn't inform anyone of there actually being people outside trying to get in.

"He just steals stuff from people." Infinity huffed.

"Of course I don't! These people in the vaults are nice enough to give me items if I supply them with information about this outside world." Hustler nodded.

"What type of information?" Arry asked looking a little suspicious.

"About how uninhabitable the world is and that they should stay inside at all costs!" He said with a smirk.

"So you lie?" Arry said not sounding to surprised.

"Just a little white lie sweetheart! Can't have my main source of trade income all walking out of the vaults can I?"

"Stealing Hustler-Human is an arrestable offence." Mark 5-0 replied.

"This robot is such a card isn't it?" Hustler laughed as Arry just looked confused having no idea what he meant by the saying.

Finally they saw New Harbour not too far in the distance.

"Finally!" Infinity complained.

"Oh chin up that thing can't be that heavy!" Hustler said turning around to Infinity who frowned.

"I know why don't you carry this for awhile?" Infinity said rolling his eyes.

"I'm already carrying my bag which is quite heavy!"

"You know I'm really not carrying anything I could help someone." Arry said quickly feeling completely useless and horrible that she wasn't assisting anyone.

"We're nearly there anyway." Infinity said quickly as they approached the entrance door to New Harbour.

When they finally reached the door Infinity put the small motor down on the ground and took a deep breath. Mark 5-0 quickly approached the door and let out a long series of static sounds before the door began to open.

"Randy-Human is not happy I was gone all night." Mark 5-0 said turning to face Arry.

"Don't worry Mark I'll tell him that it was my fault." Arry said quickly watching as Randy stepped outside.

"Where have you been Mark? Didn't I tell you to return to patrol last night?" Randy said in a frustrated voice.

"That's my fault Randy." Arry said quickly stepping forward. "Infinity and I got caught up with some ghouls."

"That explosion I suppose had something to do with it?" Randy asked as Arry quickly nodded. "Hmm, we have been having reports of people go missing every now and then over there and I suspect that you may have solved that problem for us so all is forgiven Mark. Oh and I see you've brought another old friend back. Hello again Hustler." Randy said as Hustler quickly stepped forward.

"Randy isn't it? Heard you have a family now so how about some lovely perfume and soaps for the Misses and toys for the children?" Hustler said quickly.

"Come on everyone get inside, except for you Mark I need you to resume greeting people when they arrive." Randy said turning to Mark 5-0 who didn't say anything and proceeded to return to his normal duties out front.

Arry, Hustler and Infinity walked into New Harbour as Randy closed the door behind them.

"It was nice to meet you Hustler but we really need to go." Arry said turning to him as he was trying to sell items to Randy.

"Oh no the pleasure was all mine!" He grinned and grabbed something out of his bag. "Here's a little something from me to you." He placed a small wrapped rose scented soap in her hand.

"Oh thank you." Arry said and blushed slightly.

"What about you Infinity can't interest you in a trade for a cool pair of sunglasses?"

"Don't I get anything for free?' Infinity said crossly.

"Of course not." Hustler replied sheepishly.

"Well goodbye then…" Infinity said picking the motor back up again as Hustler simply nodded and turned back around to Randy and began to try and trade with him.

As they were walking down towards the end of New Harbour where Frank and the water tunnel leading into the Harbour was Arry could hear Infinity mumbling to himself.

"You shouldn't have taken anything from him you know now he'll think you owe him something in return!" Infinity said turning to Arry.

"I think he seemed rather nice but I can't completely agree with him fooling so many people living in the vaults…" She trailed off when they walked past Dr North's hut. 'Go on Infinity I'll catch up in a moment." Arry said quickly and watched Infinity nod and keep walking down the path.

Walking up the door Arry slowly opened it and walked inside.

"Hello?" She asked not noticing anyone in the main room.

"Welcome!" Phillipa said appearing out of another room. "Oh hello Arry!" She said quickly. "Would you like something?"

"Oh no you've already helped me to much the other day and I wanted to repay the favour." Arry said quickly stepping forward and handing her the small packet of soap.

"Oh I can't accept this from you." Phillipa said quickly looking down at the soap.

"Please take it just as a thank you before I leave." Arry said with a smile.

"If you insist but you really didn't have to…" She didn't get to finish as a yell from a nearby room interrupted her.

"Phillipa who is it? Tell them I will be out soon." Dr North yelled.

"It's just Arry stopping by." Phillipa replied.

"I should get going you both seem to be busy." Arry said quickly knowing that being the only scientist turned Doctor that North would most likely be quite busy most of the time. "Oh but just one quick question that has been bothering me…"

"Of course?" Phillipa asked.

"That food you gave me yesterday, what exactly was it?" She said biting her lip as Phillipa laughed.

"Don't worry it wasn't people." Arry let out a long sigh. "It was wild dog…" She said with a smile.

"Thanks again for everything." Arry said looking up at Phillipa who nodded as they exchanged one last look before Arry left the hut.

Once outside Arry quickly began to run to catch up to Infinity.

Once she reached the edge of the town she could see Infinity already talking to Frank down by the water.

"Well this is it I'm afraid." Infinity said looking down at Frank who was rubbing his grey beard with his hand.

"This is covered in sand!" He grumbled as he turned to see Arry walking down towards them. "Ah yes this is the young lady I made a deal with, remember I told you to bring me a working motor!"

Arry knew what she had agreed to and was at a loss for words.

"Look here Frank…" Infinity started. "Unless you want to drag your sorry self outside and get a motor yourself I suggest you just clean it yourself."

"Now wait a minute you don't speak to me like that!" He said angrily.

"How would you like me to tell Major that you lied to Arry and didn't warn her about the toxic water? You could have sent her to her death and you knew it!" Infinity said angrily. "I'm sure Major would kick any person who was found guilty of sending someone to their death purposefully without warning outside for good!" Arry had never before seen Infinity get so angry with someone before and it was surprising

"No don't tell Major!" Frank said quickly. "I will give it a quick clean out myself then." He said standing back down and grumbling.

"Excellent I knew you'd come around you old salty dog." Infinity said with a smile patting Frank on the back. Before turning around back to Arry.

"Blackmail?" Arry said looking up at Infinity who shrugged with a smirk.

"I can be quite the convincing type and besides…" He said lowering his voice. "As I told you before this guy's a coward."

Shaking her head Arry sat down on the ground where Infinity sat next to her.

"Hopefully it won't take long to get it working, we really need to get across to the other side and find my brother." Arry sighed knowing that now Paul had been over on the other side of the Harbour alone for at least 24 hours.

"If he survived this long he'll make it to New Sydney." Infinity nodded. "I know for a fact there isn't anything to dangerous over there."

"I hope so…I've already broken one promise today and I can't break another one." Arry said as she thought back to Michelle and how she was not going to let down her mother like she had done for her. She would bring her brother home and nothing was going to stop her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 Half Machine**

After a few hours Frank finally managed to clean out the motor and get it running, much to Arry's excitement that finally she could return to search for her brother.

"As our deal states I will take you over." Frank said walking over to Arry and Infinity. "Is your friend coming along?" He asked glaring at Infinity.

"Of course I am. I haven't been to New Sydney for what must be 40 years so I think it's time to visit again." Infinity said nodding.

"Let's get going then." Arry said with a hint of impatience in her voice as the three quickly walked down and climbed into the small dingy which only had room for four people at the most.

It took quite a while for Frank to start the motor but once he did they slowly chugged out through the tunnel where they all had to duck their heads before coming out on the other side in the Harbour.

"I'm surprised you seem to be the only one doing this type of work, is there no one else around that can?" Arry asked looking at Frank.

"You young things might think this is easy but it's not!" Frank said angrily. "The entire Harbour is littered with old ship remains and if you're not careful one wrong turn and you'll split a hole in the boat and sink."

"Yeah I have seen some people once try to make it across to the other side on some home-made type boat…not a pretty picture when they sank." Infinity said shaking his head.

"Couldn't anyone have helped them?" Arry asked quickly.

"Firstly that water is toxic and they would have been radiated and infected quite quickly and secondly Frank is right there are so many sunken boats out there that one wrong move and you'll slice your leg open on the debris littering the place."

"Oh I see." Arry said suddenly not feeling too confident about the trip anymore as they reached what she assumed was half way across the Harbour. "Is there no other way to get around?" she asked.

"There used to be a long time ago but eventually one day that makeshift bridge further west just collapsed. The only other way across is to go up towards New Sydney on the other side of the Harbour." Infinity recalled.

"Why couldn't we have done that instead?!" Arry said angrily wondering why if there might have been a quicker way they had been wasting time trying to find a motor for this old boat. She looked at Infinity and Frank who shared a quick glance at each other.

"Typical stupid vaultee." Frank grumbled.

"Firstly that side of the Harbour has a longer harbour line so it would take a lot longer to walk to New Sydney and there's an area further west past the borders of what used to be old Sydney which has become so radiated that no person would ever be able to make it through safely and trust me people have tried and I have never known anyone to make it through."

As Infinity finished the quick journey across the Harbour was almost over and Frank pulled up beside a crumbling small concrete dock. Without a second thought Arry instantly jumped out with a sigh of relief.

"Thanks Frank my man." Infinity said climbing out next to Arry.

"Next time you want a ride remember you'll need to give me something for it, our deal was for one trip only!" He said in a gruff voice as he turned the small dingy around and began to chug back across towards New Harbour.

Arry watched him disappear for a moment before turning around and looking at the north side of Old Sydney where she had to admit that it didn't look much different from the south side. All the buildings were destroyed and flattened, the road was littered with trash, metal, concrete and old cars and there was no sign of life anywhere.

"We better get going then." She said eagerly as the two walked down the small dock till they were on the mainland again.

"Just need to follow the river west and if we're lucky we should get there just before it gets completely dark." Infinity said looking up at the sun.

"Excellent." Arry beamed as they began to walk.

As the two walked down alongside the Harbour Arry began to think about what Infinity had mentioned at how there wasn't much on this northern side of old Sydney and began to wonder what made the south side more accommodating.

"So why doesn't this north side of Old Sydney have any settlements like New Harbour or even any other group settlements such as the beach raiders?"

"Who told you about those beach raiders?" Infinity asked looking down at her in surprise.

"Major back at New Harbour he warned me about them."

"I didn't tell you about them specifically not to worry you but I suppose Major just can't keep his mouth shut." Infinity grumbled. "Look I wouldn't worry about them too much since we're probably never going to be down close enough to the beach to have to worry about them at all and they very rarely go far beyond their territory which is on the south side of Old Sydney anyway."

"It still would have been nice if you had warned me about them." Arry said with a slight frown.

"Ok then from now on I'll make sure to tell you about everything out here that can kill you." Infinity said grumpily looking down at Arry who smirked and nodded. "Alright now that we have that sorted…wait what the question again?"

"I was just wondering why everyone seems to prefer south Old Sydney?"

"Oh yes I remember, ok there are 3 reasons. Firstly because all the vaults were created on the other side there is more opportunity for people to make business from them like that old coot you first met or Hustler who prey on the people inside those things. Secondly the only reason to be over on this side is if you're travelling to New Sydney because why would you stay in this dump when you could go west a little and find a small paradise? Thirdly it's because of the settlement of New Harbour which attracts anyone who can't be accepted into New Sydney so they go there instead. People are too lazy to start their own new town so they just tag along and join one that has already been set up like New Harbour."

"I see." Arry said thinking to herself. All she had ever heard about New Sydney was of how hard it was to get into and she was worried that she didn't have anything to offer them in return for letting her inside to find her brother. "I hope they'll let me in." She said out aloud.

"Don't worry you can tag along with me because I'm sure they'll have some more work for me in helping to remove any radioactive material from their city."

"Are you saying I have nothing I could possibly offer them?' Arry said quickly.

"No offence but…yeah no." Infinity said looking down at her as she frowned.

"I can you let you know that back in my vault I was the head gardener in our greenhouse!" She said crossing her arms.

"Oh really well they should definitely let you in then." He said holding back a laugh.

"You're just trying to get me angry." Arry said shaking her head.

"What else is there to do for the next eight or so hours till we get there?" Infinity grinned.

'Well this is going to a very long eight hours…' Arry muttered to herself as the two continued to walk.

* * *

Soon Arry and Infinity left the remains of Old Sydney behind them and kept to a long freeway that led up along the Harbour further west. The area reminded Arry of the Killing Fields back at her vault the way the entire area was nothing but dead grass and the occasional burnt out car or old shack.

"Did there ever used to be anything out here?" Arry asked looking around her.

"To be honest not really. I believe at one stage there was some small town around but I've never been bothered to look for it since I've heard there's nothing there worth seeing any way."

If she hadn't been so concerned with finding her brother Arry may have considered looking around the area for old towns but knew that she really had no time.

As they walked Arry suddenly noticed something in distance and squinted her eyes to try and see it but all she could make out was that it appeared to be a huge radio type tower the first one she had ever seen.

"Have you ever been over there?" She asked pointing towards the radio tower in the distance away from the Harbour shore.

"That's where I'm pretty sure that small town is located." Infinity paused. "Like I said before I've never been because whenever I came this way I would head straight for New Sydney."

"I thought you would have liked to adventure around a little?" She asked.

"I do." He quickly rebutted before thinking. "However I only ever go look around if I know that there is something worth my time there and I know for sure that that town is all but empty. Seen way too many ghost towns here and there and I don't need to add another one to my list."

To be honest Arry had never thought about what it must be like to constantly travel and to only ever come upon destroyed cities and towns where there was nothing left alive except perhaps a few feral ghouls fighting over scraps.

"Why don't you stay in New Sydney or come back with me and my brother?" Arry asked looking up at Infinity who didn't seem too keen on the idea.

"Honestly being cooped up inside a vault for the rest of my long life when there is so much out here to see and do I don't think I could handle it." He shuddered before turning back to her. "Why, why don't you stay out here after you take your brother home?" He asked.

"I don't know I haven't really considered it too much." Arry confessed.

"Would you?" Infinity said after a long pause which left Arry trying to look for something to say.

"I don't know." She said looking away from him back out into the distance.

"You know not that I mind I mean maybe it would a lot safer for you to stay inside a vault as long you don't let that idiot Hustler in." He said with a laugh as he turned to Arry who didn't seem to be paying attention as she stared at something in the distance. "Are you listening to me?' He said quickly.

"Can you see that?" Arry asked coming to a stop and pointing in the distance where she could see something shining in the dead grass.

"It's probably just some piece of trash or metal…"

"Maybe it's something I can trade to get into New Sydney." Arry thought out aloud wondering that perhaps it was a piece of equipment or old machine that some people may want the parts from.

"Why would something like that be found all the way out here? There's nothing here!" Infinity said loudly as Arry decided to have a very quick look before continuing. "Well don't blame me if you find out I was right and you were wrong and it's nothing but trash!" Infinity called out as Arry ignored him and walked closer to the object.

As she neared the object it soon began to take shape and it didn't appear to be just a piece of scrap metal it actually looked almost…human. Once she was quite close she looked down to see what at first she thought was just a dead body but there was something wrong with it, it had pieces of metal that appeared to be almost fused to the skin and the man had large chunks of his face, arm and legs completely replaced with metallic parts. It made her feel sick inside but she managed to keep herself from being sick.

She had no idea what she was looking at and all she knew was that it looked as though at one time it must have been human. Arry quickly decided to leave it alone and went to turn around when she yelled in surprise when the half man and half machine thing suddenly grabbed her arm and she looked down to see the mans eyes open and stare right at her.

"Where…where am I?" The man coughed staring up at Arry as Infinity instantly ran up beside her and aimed the pistol right at the mans head as he let Arry go.

"No wait." Arry said quickly turning to Infinity. "You're just out of Old Sydney...what are you?"

"You have to help me…" The man coughed. "Those…those mad men kidnapped my family…they want to turn them into androids…"

"What mad men?" Arry asked looking around her but not seeing anyone or anything around them.

"The scientists….they're mad…insane from radiation…experiments…killing everyone…I escaped to find help….but range…please…" The man pleaded looking up at Arry and taking her hand with his.

"How many hostages do they have?" Arry said suddenly in a panic about whether or not Paul may have been taken by them

"Many…dead…scared…please I beg you…save them…my family…save everyone…." The man trailed off said as he let go of Arry's hand and his eyes closed.

Arry looked down at the man and looked into the distance where she could see the radio tower they had been looking at earlier.

"I have no idea where these mad men have come from because I have never heard of anyone ever being caught or going missing around here before." Infinity said lowering his weapon and turning to Arry.

"We have to go…" Arry said and started to walk towards the tower.

"We can't go! Did you hear what he said? It's way too dangerous especially if these mad men are doing these crazy experiments on people."

"Didn't you hear what he said? They have hostages and for all we know they could have caught Paul! I am not going to let him die down there." Arry said and continued to walk.

"Think about this for a minute." Infinity said catching up to Arry and standing in front of her so she had to stop.

"There is no time to think about this Infinity I can't take the risk that they might have my brother…and if they're doing these experiments on people we don't have time to argue."

"You don't even have a plan of what you're going to do when you find these mad men! What if they just kill you straight away before you even have a chance to find your brother?" Infinity said shaking his head.

"Then you stay here!" She frowned. "I don't have time for this…I will find my brother and get him out of there or I swear I'll die trying." She had come this far and was not going to let anything stop her from finding Paul whether or not Infinity was going to come with her.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13. Tales of Men Made Mad

"Can't we just talk about this for a moment?" Infinity said running up beside Arry who didn't stop walking. "Look I can completely understand why you're diving head first into this but you're smarter than this! You're smarter than just running in without a plan without anything."

Ignoring him Arry didn't say anything and kept walking until Infinity grabbed her hand causing her stop and finally turn around.

"While we're wasting time up here who knows what they could be doing to him down there…"

"How do you know they even have Paul? What if they don't?"

"I can't take that chance…if you don't want to come that's fine I can look after myself." She said crossly.

"Oh really…' Infinity said rolling his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean? I don't need you to hold my hand in fact I still don't even know why you're here anymore…"

"Maybe I should just leave since you obviously don't want my help anymore…"

"Well fine then I don't need your help I will save my brother myself just like I had planned to." She frowned.

"Well good I'm sick of looking after you…" Infinity continued but Arry wasn't paying attention as she noticed a small red dot on his shirt. "Are you listening to me?" Infinity said as Arry snapped out of her gaze and turned around and looked into the distance where the red laser pointer was coming from. Arry squinted and could see what she assumed to a group of men walking towards them but they looked different then normal men.

"You go then and I'll deal with this." Arry said glancing back at Infinity and taking out her pistol as the group approached them.

"I'll go where I want." He said with a huff taking out his pistol to.

As the group approached Arry could soon see that just like that man they had just seen die earlier these men had metal pieces infused into their skin all over their bodies which ranged from metal plates on their arms and faces to what appeared to be an entire arm replacement. As the men came closer they pulled out their weapons.

"Put down your weapons and don't attempt to escape…" One of the men who had his entire right arm replaced with metal replacement said as they approached Arry and Infinity all with weapons drawn.

All the men seemed to be huge compared to Arry who was a small 5"7 where all these men towered at at least 6"2. Arry and Infinity knowing they were outnumbered did as they were told and lowered their weapons.

"I'm looking for my brother…" Arry started as she watched the group of men circle her and Infinity but before she could say anything she watched in the corner of her eye as one of the men hit Infinity over the head with back of his shotgun knocking him to the ground unconscious.

"We don't care." One of the men said as Arry looked back in front of her just in time to see the man raise his gun to hit her and then blackness.

"She's waking up Nurse!" Arry heard a voice say as she slowly opened her eyes and looked straight up into the face of a woman looking down at her.

"Careful now." The nurse said as Arry shakily sat up on the floor her head aching. "They gave you a nasty bump on the head but nothing else." The woman continued.

"Where am I?' Arry asked rubbing the side of her head where she could feel a large bruise forming as she looked around the tiny room which had 4 women of varying ages including the nurse.

"You're inside the Machiavellian University Bunker." The nurse sighed and helped Arry stand up.

"I had a friend with me is he here?" Arry said quickly taking a closer look around the room which seem to have at one stage been a small office. The room had no furniture in it at all now though and there was only a single door in and out.

"If your friends male then he's gone." One of the other woman said as Arry began to panic.

"What do you mean he must be here somewhere." Arry said quickly.

"Those scientists outside will be using him to test on like they do to all the men they catch." The nurse said shaking her head. "They murdered my husband by trying to turn him into one of those…monsters."

Arry quickly thought back to the man she had seen and had told her about this place.

"I think I meet your husband he was trying to escape to find help and found us."

"Is he...?" The nurse asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry." Arry said softly as she watched the women quickly wipe away a tear. "My friend and I have come to find you and set everyone free." Arry said quickly.

"Well considering you're in here with us that's unlikely!" One of the younger women who looked no older than 17 sneered at Arry.

"Rebecca! That is no way to speak to someone in here!" The nurse said spinning around to her.

"Well I'm right mum she's stuck in here with us so I doubt she's going to be of any help." Rebecca said crossing her arms and shaking her head as the nurse turned back to Arry.

"Sorry I didn't catch you name...?"

"Arry." Arry quickly replied.

"Hello Arry my name is Jane. I'm sorry for my daughters behavior it's just that we've been in her for so long now and we're all frightened." Jane admitted.

"What's happening here Jane? My friend isn't really…he's still alive I know he is." Arry said quickly.

"I can answer that question." Another older woman in the room said stepping forward. "My name is Mya and I've been stuck here in this underground bunker for at least two years…all I know is those mad scientists test on all the male subjects they can find to turn them into those half machine monsters they've turned themselves into and they keep the women in here to have their children." The woman said looking disgusted.

"But why?" Arry asked looking back at Jane who shrugged.

"All we know from this tiny room is that they experiment on the men they find and keep us woman as prisoners much more than that we don't know." Jane sighed.

Before Arry had a chance to say anything she heard the door unlock and quickly spun around and watched it open to reveal a man with heavily modified metal arms and a one glowing metallic eye and one normal human one enter the room.

"You come with me!" He said pointing at Arry who looked back at the other woman for a moment but none of them said anything so she walked over to the door. Once she was outside he slammed the door shut and locked it.

The hallway they were in was almost pitch black and it was very hard to see more than a few feet in the distance. Before she had a chance to say anything the man grabbed her and began to drag her down the hallway. As he dragged Arry she could hear screaming and yelling coming from the opposite end of the hallway and though she struggled to free herself she couldn't break free and was scared of what they may be doing to Infinity, her brother or any other men that may be trapped down here.

Reaching a door the man opened it and pushed Arry inside before slamming the door shut before she had a chance to turn around to try and make a run for it. Looking in front of her she could she a man sitting down at the end of the room on what appeared to be a makeshift metal type throne. The man had no hair at all and the entire left side of his face had been fused with metal giving him a very robotic look which was made even stranger by the right side of his face which looked completely human except for the fact that both his eyes which had seemingly been replaced with glowing type orbs like the guard that had taken her here.

"Welcome, welcome!" The man said instantly jumping up creating a loud thud on the ground as he did which made Arry assume that although she couldn't see through his long black pants that his legs had also had been metallically fused.

"Where is my friend and brother!?" Arry said angrily as the man stood where he was.

"Oh! Don't worry young Miss he is just being turned into one of us and so are any other males we find." The man nodded. "Oh dear my manners where are they? I'm Professor Matt Taylor." He said quickly taking a few steps forward and forcibly shaking her hand with his.

"Professor?" Arry asked puzzled.

"Oh yes yes Professor of engineering to be honest, topped my class!" He said with a smile. "That is why I'm in charge of this university."

"University? You're kidnapping and torturing people." Arry said angrily finding Matt's happy manor very strange and off putting especially considering what he and the others were doing to innocent people.

"We're not torturing people, were simply helping them achieve perfection, immortality!" He said nodding.

"Against their will!" Arry added quickly with a frown.

"Yes perhaps but they will soon come to acknowledge afterwards if they survive what we have granted them and thank us!" He said proudly.

"You've found a way to make yourselves immortal?" Arry asked not believing Matt as he sighed.

"Well not yet…but that's why we kept practicing and keep trying and why we need you!" He said pointing at her. "We need you and the other woman to produce children we can use." Arry looked completely disgusted. "No no please hear me out!" He said quickly walking forward.

"Doesn't seem like I have a choice."

"You see my grandfather used to live here in this town before the bombs dropped. There was a small university here for those with exceptional skills in the areas of maths, physics and chemistry. It was a place where men and women could thrive and talk to people of equal intellects! However when the people were chosen by lottery to see who would go into those protective vaults none of the men and women who lived at the university were chosen!" He said sounding angry for the first time. "They didn't pick those who actually deserved to be put into safety and instead they chose commoners who have nothing to offer the human race! My grandfather was a smart man and he and the others decided that they would build their own makeshift bunker to save themselves and only allow those of superior intelligence in!"

"They built this entire bunker themselves?" Arry asked looking around understanding now why it didn't look like the vault she had lived in her entire life.

"Impressive isn't it?" Matt said with a grin. "Hmm yes but however when the bombs started to drop one of our engineers made a miscalculation…and during an explosion one of the underground bunkers ventilation shafts ruptured letting in toxic radiation and you wouldn't believe it but the room with the leak happened to be our chemical storage room." Matt laughed. "The toxins all mixed together and spread through the entire underground bunker and affected everyone inside but we none of us got sick and no one had any side effects at all which was a surprise. Of course all the scientists began to examine themselves for hidden side effects and it was only by chance that one day there was an accident in the lab here and one of the scientists had a glass flask crack in his hand and despite the fact that the broken glass had sliced a huge gash in his hand he felt no pain, nothing! The radiation had mixed with the gases and somehow had absorbed in our bodies giving us the ability to feel no pain!"

"Impossible." Arry said quietly to herself but still not understanding what it had to do with the horrific half human half machine monsters they were turning themselves into. "What does this have to do with anything that you're doing to people and yourselves?"

"Patience young Miss I'll get there!" Matt said quickly. "Despite the fact we could feel no pain anymore the scientists were still growing old at the normal rate and died. It was my father's generation that began to undertake experiments on ourselves to try and make it so that by implanting ourselves with machine implants that we could live forever in our bodies. Since none of us felt any pain we could test on ourselves as much as possible without ever feeling pain. Sadly though by the time father became the leader of our University bunker we had run out of non-related women because we had only let a very small few in since there are very little intelligent woman around…" James said as Arry frowned but said nothing. "It was then my father decided to leave the bunker and search for more women to bear our children and in the meantime find some more males to test on and practice our bonding techniques. For you see the side effect of feeling no pain is passed on to any of our children but we don't have enough of them to continually test on which is why we had to find others to. It was then that my father made an important discovery…our power source the radio tower which allows us too function by broadcasting a signal our mechanical parts respond to has a limited range that we can go before our technology becomes useless and will not work and being more machine than men now if we leave the borders of our range we will literally stop working."

"You have to realize those men you're finding can feel pain! You are torturing and killing them!" Arry said remembering how much pain that man she had found out of the town must have been in.

"A small sacrifice from those less intelligent people to help try and preserve those who are more intelligent than they are." He shrugged.

"Why are you telling me this? You haven't told any of the other women about this so why tell me?" Arry asked having no idea why Matt was telling her any of this especially if he hadn't told the other women who had been here longer.

"Simple young Miss." Matt smiled. "You're a proper vaultee and we know for a fact that the government vaults are run by small nuclear generators that give almost unlimited power. You are going to take us to where these vaults are located so we can take as many of these generators as possible to create more energy so me and my kin can expand beyond this old town and university and share our experimental findings with the world and find more volunteers to help bring in a new age of immortality through combing with machines. I had hoped to convince you that what we're doing is good work for the sake of humanity!"

"What if I refuse to help you in your despicable plan?" Arry said crossing her arms.

"Then I will kill each of the women back at the prison you were in one at a time and I will make sure to make that man you came in with as well as all the other men we have here will have a slow and painful death whilst you watch."

"I swear if you hurt my friend or my brother…" Arry said stepping forward.

"Swear what? You are in no place to disagree with me…" He said looking back towards the door. "Get in here!" He yelled at the top of his voice and Arry watched as the door opened and the man who had brought her before walked in with Jane standing beside him.

"You are going to take us there right?" Matt said walking forward and taking out a pistol and putting it beside Jane's head.

Arry could feel her fists clench as she took a deep breath.

"Fine…" She said. "But you'll never make it that far away anyway." Arry sneered.

"Oh don't worry young Miss we have found a way some of us can." Matt said with a grin and he turned back to the guard. "Take them both away we're done here for now."

The guard nodded and grabbed Arry and began to drag her back out into the hallway. As she and Jane were being dragged back to their room Arry couldn't help but feel sick, what had she just agreed to?


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 Machine Madness**

Once they reached the room where they were being kept the guard pushed Jane and Arry inside before slamming the door shut behind them.

"What did you agree to?" Jane said instantly as Rebecca ran up and gave her mother a hug.

"That man Professor Matt Taylor wants to raid as many government vaults as he can and steal their nuclear generators so he can power his half man half machine scientists and boost the capacity of their signal from the tower." Arry sighed.

"How could you agree to that?" Jane said shaking her head. "They will kill everyone they can find in the vaults!"

"I wasn't going to let him kill you! He threatened to kill all of you and my friend and my brother!" Arry said quickly.

"How long till they come back?" Mya asked stepping forward.

"He said they're working on something that will allow a select few to leave and get to the vaults."

"The vaults from what I recall were on the south side of Old Sydney though, they'll never make it with the bridge down." Mya said quickly.

"I know a man who could take them across and if they threaten him he'll do as they say." Arry said thinking back to Frank and how Infinity had described him as a coward who she knew would most likely do anything to save his own skin.

"Then we're stuck here waiting to die!" Rebecca said angrily. "Not much of a rescue party you were!" She said turning to Arry who simply ignored her and walked over to the wall and slowly sat down on the ground putting her head in her hands.

Rebecca was right there was nothing she could do, she should have listened to Infinity who had warned her about going in without a plan and now thanks to her they were all most likely going to be killed and if she didn't help Matt they he would kill everyone eventually anyway. She had come in trying to play hero and save her brother and had failed miserably and had condemned perhaps her only friend to a fate worse than death.

The other woman in the room which hadn't said anything the entire time Arry had been with her slowly walked out of the corner and timidly came over and sat beside Arry.

"You look upset." She said softly looking at Arry.

"I've made a terrible mistake." Arry confessed.

"At least you tried…my names Nadia." She said looking back at Arry who simply nodded. "I've been here the longest…"

"Matt mentioned that he uses the woman here to have children but I haven't seen any around?" Arry asked a little confused.

"Oh dear well when a woman has a child they usually take the baby away and to make sure they keep a fresh supply of unrelated children they…test on the mothers." Nadia quickly wiped away a few tears that slid down her face.

"I'm so sorry, I just wish I could help you…"

"You tried." Nadia said with a small smile.

"It's not enough." Arry said shaking her head and looking upset.

"What's that thing on your arm?" Nadia said pointing to the pip-boy on Arry's arm and quickly changing the subject.

"Oh it's just called a pip-boy. It's something I used to use in the vault and now just holds a collection of notes and maps I've made about where I've been…so I suppose if Matt knew about it he'd just kill me and take this." Arry said with as sigh.

"It's the only mechanical piece I've seen that hasn't been fused to the skin…it just sits on your arm?" Nadia said touching the pip-boy cautiously. "How is it powered?" She asked curiously.

"It has a small but very powerful cell that makes it last for years at a time…a powerful cell…" Arry said as she trailed off looking down at the pip-boy. She quickly began to look at the side where the mechanics of the pip-boy were held inside but it had been screwed on with two small screws.

Arry instantly jumped up to the surprise of Nadia. Without thinking Arry quickly began to search around on the floor for anything she could use to try and get the screws loose enough so she could access the inside of the pip-boy.

"What are you doing?" Jane asked looking at Arry.

"Trust me we've looked over this room a million times there's no way out." Mya sighed.

"I need something, something small to try and get these little screws off my pip-boy." Arry said looking up at the women.

"How's that going to help?" Rebecca rolled her eyes.

"I may be no engineer like my brother but I do know a little and I remember one time my brother Paul told me that I should allow him to fix my pip boy to shoot out little electric shocks to the bullies who used to bully me. He was amazing at that kind of stuff." Arry said thinking back to when she was a child. "I never let him do it because he told me it would drain the battery and I knew I'd get into a lot of trouble from the Donald's but I can remember watching him do it to his to pick on his friends."

"There would no way that small shock could take down those scientists, there must be at least 30 of them around here." Mya said quickly.

"There must be some type of power source around here that helps to transmit their mechanical signal to that radio tower and keep power inside this bunker, if I can manage to damage it with even just a little shock it may give enough time to temporarily disable those scientists mechanics and give us all time to escape. Matt did say most were more machine than man now so it may just disrupt them for a short period."

"That sounds incredibly risky…but it could work." Jane said thinking out aloud. "But I have no idea where something like what you suggested could be located?"

"I once heard them talking." Nadia said timidly stepping forward.

"Go on Nadia." Arry said as they all turned to her.

"That scientist in charge once mentioned he likes to have it close by because umm the closer he was to the thing the stronger the signal so he felt better, or was it more powerful? I'm not sure." She said softly.

"That's fantastic Nadia!" Arry said smiling at her as she weakly smiled back. "That means it must be very close to where his little throne room is." Arry said quickly.

"None of this is going to help because there are no screwdrivers in here anyway." Rebecca huffed.

"Wait a minute Rebecca do you still have any of those hair clips you used to wear in your hair?" Jane said turning to her daughter who nodded and instantly unclipped one from her hair.

"I only have one." She said handing it to Arry.

"Will that do? It's all we have in this room I'm afraid." Mya said eagerly as the four women watched Arry fiddle with the screws and the hairclip.

"Why did I tighten these up so much?" Arry said to herself as she fiddled with the hairclip and the two small screws. "Come on…please…" She whispered.

After what seemed like an hour of fiddling Arry finally managed to loosen one of the screws and quickly pulled it out.

"Here I'll look after them." Jane said quickly putting out her hand as Arry quickly and more easily managed to unscrew the second one and handed both to her.

Looking into the pip-boy Arry bit her lip not really quite sure what everything was exactly, it had been so long since her brother had mentioned it to her and that she had watched him do it to his.

"I may not be an expert when it comes to this stuff but I have looked at a few old computer in my time." Mya said stepping forward.

Nodding her and Arry sat down on the floor and began to fiddle inside the pip-boy with the hairclip as they examined the different pieces and buttons inside.

* * *

After a few hours Arry and Mya had finished.

"Do you think that's it?" Mya asked turning to Arry who didn't look too sure.

"It's the best we're going to be able to do without completely breaking it." Arry sighed.

"Here let's give it a try." Jane said walking over and handing Arry the two small screws which she quickly screwed back in.

"Now if this works as it's supposed to it should release a small electric spark to anything metal nearby when I turn this knob on the top and overcharge the pip-boy."

"Will it have enough power to do it a few times?" Jane asked.

"Let's hope so because I will need at least 3 chances one to get away from Matt, one to hopefully damage the power source for long enough that we can all escape and one extra just in case I run into any other scientists."

"We really should test it to make sure it works because you will only get one opportunity to use it on Matt before he catches onto what's happening." Mya said quickly.

"Here." Jane said taking the small metal hairclip. "Try it out." She nodded as Arry took a step forward and turned the knob briefly overloading the power and sending a spark across to the metal hair clip which caused Jane to jump back in surprise.

"Ouch! Packs a punch." Jane said quickly as Arry smiled hopefully.

"Is this going to work?" Rebecca said stepping forward and looking a little hopeful for the first time.

"It will work." Arry said nodding and looking down at her pip-boy. "I will get you out of here and rescue everyone else…"

"If they're still alive…" Nadia said in a whisper.

"They are, I know they are." Arry said quickly knowing that they just had to hold out a little longer and she was going to save them or at least die trying. "All we have to do now is wait for Matt to call me back."

"That could be days…" Rebecca complained.

"No he seemed very insistent on it being very soon and I believe the scientists already have a device to allow them to leave this area in small groups so it's just a matter of time before they finish it and we leave."

"Let's hope so for everyone's sake." Jane said solemnly as the Arry turned back to look at the door and waited.

* * *

After what seemed like at least half a day finally Arry heard someone unlock the door to the small room she was in. Taking a deep breath she turned to look at the four other women in the room who all gave a small nod as the guard from before walked into the room.

"The Professor will see you now." He said glaring at Arry who nodded and stepped out of the room as he shut the door and locked it behind her.

Arry could feel her heart beating so fast and hard that she was almost afraid that it was going to give her away her nervousness and the plan.

She followed the guard until they reached a familiar doorway which Arry noted in her mind was at least 4 doors down from the one that was holding the other women.

The guard opened the door and pushed Arry in with so much force she nearly tripped and fell over. Looking up she saw Infinity in the room who turned to look at her but he didn't say anything. She was relieved that he looked alright.

"Ah welcome back again young Miss!" Matt said standing up from his throne. "You're probably wondering why I have your friend here." He continued turning to Infinity who still said nothing.

"I am doing exactly what you asked!" Arry said angrily wondering whether or not Matt was going to go against what he had said and try to kill Infinity or the other women despite the fact that she had agreed to help him so he wouldn't.

"Oh no need to panic Miss he's just here to make sure that you do as you're told." Matt said walking up to Infinity. "As long as we get where I want to go without any problems you have nothing to worry about."

Arry restrained from looking down at her pip-boy in case she gave away what she was going to attempt but she knew that for the shock to work Matt had to be closer to her and it had to be in this room because if he left there was no way she could take on more than one of the mechanical scientists at a time.

"How exactly are you going to get all the way to vaults?' Arry quickly asked in an attempt to try and get Matt closer to her.

"Something that you and your simple mind would never understand." Matt said shaking his head. "Only a top scientific expert would be able to understand." He said proudly.

"Try me then." Arry said crossing her arms.

"I have no more time to waste on this frivolous conversation." Matt said shaking his head. "We have to get going immediately to retrieve those generators so the rest of my scientists can leave this area for good." Matt began to walk over towards the door when Arry decided to take a chance and she quickly jumped in front of him causing him to stop abruptly. "You dare stop me? Did you not here what I would do to your friend?!" He asked angrily.

"I am smart enough to understand Professor." Arry said looking directly up at him as she quickly took a step closer to him and before he could do anything turned the knob on the pip-boy sending out a shock that hit Matt's fused metallic arm causing all Matt's mechanical parts and entire body to vibrate for a moment before appearing as though he shut down as his eye stopped glowing and he fell to the floor.

"What did you do?" Infinity said instantly stepping forward.

"No time to explain Infinity we have to get going right now before he reconfigures and regains movement." She said quickly grabbing his arm as they walked to the door.

"What about the guard?" Infinity said quickly.

"Leave him to me." Arry said as she instantly flung the door open and the guard turned round and before he had a chance to say anything Arry quickly shocked him to which had the same effect as on Matt as the guard fell to the floor. "Quick grab his keys." Arry said stepping over the guard and looking down the hallway where she could see the next door a little further down which would be the room directly behind where Matt's throne was.

Infinity who had grabbed the keys as well as the guard's gun from the guard ran up beside Arry and gave her the keys as he kept a look out down the hallway which was still empty.

"Come on…" Arry muttered as she quickly tried key after key and the door finally opened. "Yes!" she said pushing the door open and pulling Infinity inside before quickly shutting it and locking the door and handing Infinity back to the keys.

Turning around Arry could see that the entire room was full of at least 6 different generators with the largest and what she assumed the most powerful one in the very center and going up into the ceiling and was surrounded by a small walkway that extended around the entire room and each generator allowing access to each one from all sides.

"Quickly we have to disrupt the main generator to give us enough time to all get out of here." Arry said running forward into the middle of the room.

"Can we just talk for a moment?" Infinity said catching up to her.

"We don't have time Infinity I have to…" Before Arry could finish she jumped slightly when she heard banging against the door outside. "It's too late." Arry said spinning around and looking at the door as she grabbed Infinity's hand and hid behind one of the generators around the room just as the door was blown open and was flung clean across the room smashing into the wall and leaving a deep dent.

"I don't need you! All I need is that machine on your wrist which you can deduce means that I don't need you alive anymore you little commoner." Matt yelled standing in the doorway.

Arry had a feeling that Matt was only going to be hunting her which meant that Infinity had a chance to get away whilst she would remain and try to destroy the generators.

"I will distract him whilst you go, hide in the throne room and wait until the power starts to go out…" She whispered turning to Infinity.

"You'll be killed!" He said quickly.

"Rescue everyone and get them out of here, the girls are 4 doors down." She said in a forced calm.

"I can't leave you…" Infinity started but didn't get to finish.

"Please trust me...go…" She said looking up at him before taking a deep breath and standing up and walking out into the open before Infinity could stop her.

"Good we're not going to play a silly game of cat and mouse." Matt said walking out of the doorway and into the middle of the room. Arry watched as Infinity crept past the generators to keep him hidden as he headed back towards the door.

"I'm not as stupid as you thought I was was I right?" Arry said loudly as she watched Infinity sneak out of the room.

"I will attend to that male later on but first I'm going to deal with you."

"You didn't' answer my question did you? And it's because you know that I out smarted you, a girl without some silly title you just gave yourself anyway." Arry said shaking her head seeing that Matt was furious.

"You will never be as smart as me! Me and my fellow scientists will rule this country and will be praised as the Gods we are for bringing immortality to the world."

"You said yourself that you haven't achieved anything near close to that yet and instead you are just creating monsters and murdering people."

"It is people like you who were chosen to be taken to safety whilst others like my grandfather were forced to die, how is that fair!?" He yelled. "Well we're now fixing this to make sure that through our research no one will ever die again and those we deem smart enough can live forever. Think of all the amazing discoveries we can discover." Matt said with a smile.

"Can't you see that what you're doing is worse than what the government did? The government had a lottery so there was no one person chosen over another so everyone was given equal chance to be chosen. What you're doing is playing with people's lives and then choosing who you believe is worthy of this make believe mechanical immortality. You are not better than anybody else just because you may be smart than they are, no one is better than anyone else" Arry sad with a frown.

"You're wrong, we are the future of humanity and we will get to choose who lives in our new world and I'm afraid you will not be one of them." He said quickly pulling out a pistol and pointing it at her.

Without thinking Arry instantly jumped to the side away from the outer generator she was standing in front of just as Matt fired. The bullet missed Arry and hit the generator causing a small explosion as black smoke began to pour out from the generator.

"So we are going to play a game of hide and seek? How childish." Matt sneered. As Arry hid behind one of the generators in a panic knowing that she had to try and get that main generator offline if Infinity, her brother and the others had any chance of getting out. She could here Matt in the room as his footsteps echoed like thunder. Turning to the generator she was hiding behind she quickly turned to the knob on the pip-boy but it just made a soft beeping sound and shut down completely, it was completely dead. What was she going to do now?

Arry glanced back at the generator Matt had just shot and for the first time noticed the black smoke pouring out into the room, she instantly knew if she could just get him to destroy a few more the entire room would fill with smoke making it harder and harder to see and maybe she could get him to somehow shoot the main generator in the middle of the room through the smoke not realizing what he was going to destroy.

"Missed me, looks like being smarter than me doesn't make you a better shot." Arry said slowly sitting up behind the generator as she quickly jumped from behind it to behind another one and just as she expected Matt tried to shot her but missed hitting another generator which let out a small explosion before it too started to smoke.

"My intellect makes me perfect!" Matt roared as Arry peered from behind the generator and saw Matt's eye light flickered slightly.

Matt instantly looked over to where she was and she quickly made a jump for the next generator but she was to slow and Matt fired his pistol skimming Arry's arm causing to her yell as she hid behind the next generator. "Projectile motion." Matt beamed as Arry looked down at her arm and could see blood slowly soaking through her vault uniform.

The room by now was starting to fill up with black smoke which was quickly starting to make it hard to see.

"Don't think this smoke will allow you to hide young Miss." Matt teased as Arry quickly decided it was now or never to try and get him to shoot that main generator.

Looking down at the floor at the broken pieces of metals that had come from the explosion of the generator closest to her Arry quickly picked up the pieces as she snuck behind the next generator as Matt walked forward through the black smog. Hearing a sound he once again he tried to shoot her only to hit the next generator causing it to explode sending up a plume of black smoke into the room. Holding the broken pieces in her hand Arry quickly began to throw them to the sides of the room which seemed to spook Matt who couldn't see clearly as he began to shoot where ever he heard a sound.

"Professor we're having problems our mechanic's are shutting down and going offline." A scientist said running into the rooms doorway. Arry looked to see the scientist standing in the doorway as the black smoke began to pour out into the hallway.

"Get out she is mine!" Matt roared.

"Professor if you shoot any more of those…" Before the scientist had time to finish Arry jumped in shock when Matt angrily shot his own scientist sending him crashing to the ground.

"I am still in charge here." He yelled coughing from the smoke.

Taking her final chance Arry leapt up and ran towards the center of the room and ducked down on her knees beside the main generator.

"Come and get me Professor!" Arry yelled and put her hands on her head as Matt instantly spun around and shot where he heard the voice and shot to where he would have hit Arry's head if she had been standing up but instead hit the main generator.

Arry cringed as small pieces of metal from the explosion hit her in the back but she ignored them as she quickly began to cough and walk towards the doorway as she heard something fall to the ground near her.

Running to the door she was almost there when she felt something grab her leg and in a panic she looked down to see Matt on the ground looking up at her his mechanical eye flashing and his entire body shaking

"You have just destroyed humanities last chance of immortality." He said coughing and looking up at her.

"You can't achieve it this way Matt. I'm sorry it has cost you the lives of all your fellow scientists, they deserved better and I believe at one time you did to…but not anymore." She said looking down at him as she quickly pulled her leg out of his grasp.

"You will never be smarter than me!" He said looking up at her as he lay on the ground paralyzed and unable to move.

Taking one last look down at him Arry turned back around and ran out of the room. Once in the hallway she could see other half human half machine scientists pouring out from the different rooms all of them crying out in frustration as their mechanics shut down causing them to fall to the ground unable to move or function without the use of them.

Arry knew that from what she had seen that all the rooms in the underground bunker seemed to be connected to this one hallway so teh way out had to be alone it at one of the ends. She looked down the hallway and quickly decided to go right so that even if it wasn't the right way out she could make sure that Infinity had managed to set the other woman free and hopefully her brother and other males from the room he must have been in.

Running down the hallway avoiding all scientists who seemed to be flailing around almost blindly and she stopped at the room she had been a prisoner in and was glad to see that it was empty. Continuing down the hall she eventually saw a dim light at the end coming from a doorway.

Once she reached the doorway she could see that past it was a small staircase that led upwards into blinding daylight. Without thinking she quickly made a break up the stairs and once she reached the top she was immediately blinded by the bright white light but she knew for sure that she was finally out of that bunker and she hoped that everyone else had made it to.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 Welcome to New Sydney**

It took a few moments for Arry to get accustomed to the bright light but when she did she could see that outside the underground bunker was what appeared to be the ruins of another small town that had been completely flattened long ago. Turning around she looked at the destroyed building on the top of the underground bunker and saw an old sign on the ground which she could see read, "Kings State College for the Gifted."

What she had told Matt down in the bunker she truly did believe and that was at one time his grandfather and even his father did have the best intentions to try and help people to achieve immortality and escape from the pain and suffering the war had brought so many but somewhere along the line they had lost what was truly important, people's self-respect, their rights and life itself.

Turning back around she quickly began to walk forward away from the entrance door which was now pouring out black smoke to the outside world.

"Over there someone's come out." Arry heard a voice and turned to see Infinity and the four women step out from behind some rubble and run over to her.

"Oh God you're hurt." Jane said quickly looking down at Arry's arm.

"Oh it's nothing really it just scratched me ,I'm fine." Arry said quickly as she turned to look up at Infinity.

"Before you say anything I just want to say you were right all along and I'm sorry." Arry said quickly looking up at him.

"Can't lie that does sound good…" Infinity said with a small grin. "…but all that matters now is that you're safe."

"My brother is he…?" Arry said quickly looking around noticing that there appeared to be no one else who had escaped.

"He was never here Arry." Infinity said quickly. "The room they held me in only had one other man in it who they took out for testing not long after we were caught." Arry let out a long sigh a relief and smile knowing that her brother hadn't been subjected to the horror Matt and the others had been doing to people.

"We should get moving to get your patched and cleaned up." Jane said looking up at Arry who nodded.

"We need to get to New Sydney near the dam." Infinity said looking at the women.

"The dam? You mean old Warragamba Dam right?" Mya said stepping forward.

"I haven't heard anyone call it that in years." Infinity confessed. "Everyone just calls the entire place New Sydney."

"I used to live there before I was caught by these monsters." Mya continued.

"Didn't they send anyone to find you?" Arry asked wondering why no one had come looking for her as Mya just shrugged.

"I had no family so they just assumed I had left and never come back…doesn't matter now." Mya said quickly. "I can take you there I know a short-cut from here."

"How far away is it? Will we get there before its dark?" Nadia said softly stepping forward and looking a little nervous.

"Don't worry we're over half way there now." Mya said with a reassuring smile.

"Then let's not waste any time." Jane nodded and looked at Mya who quickly nodded and began to lead the way.

As the small group began to walk Arry watched as Rebecca quickly walked up to her.

"I just want to say I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you." She said shyly looking up at Arry.

"I understand." Arry nodded looking down at her.

"After dad was taken away from us I was just so scared and I didn't think we'd ever get out of there."

"Your father was a brave man, without him Infinity and I would never have found you and helped you to escape. He'd be proud of you I'm sure." Arry said smiling down at Rebecca who smiled a little and nodded before walking back over to her mother.

Looking to Infinity Arry quickly walked over to him.

"I don't think I've said it yet but I'm happy you're alright." She said looking up at him. "I heard what they were doing to that other man and I was scared it was you or my brother."

"I just wished I could have been more help, you've been hurt and I wasn't there to help you." He sighed.

"It's nothing really." Arry assured. "Besides of course you helped you saved those women, they owe you their lives."

"That was really all you but thanks for saying it."

"It was the thought of rescuing you that kept me going." She said with a smile looking up at him but before she had a chance to say or do anything else Mya ran up between them.

"So you're Infinity right? I've heard your name being thrown around a few times at New Sydney." Mya said looking up at him as he nodded.

"My reputation precedes me does it?" Infinity said looking down at her.

Mya and Infinity began to talk so Arry decided to quickly take the chance to talk to Nadia who had been extremely quiet and looked frightened by everything around her.

"Are you feeling ok?" Arry said walking up to her as she nodded.

"It's been so long since I was outside." She said looking around her. "Nothing has changed." She sighed.

"What did you do before you were taken by Matt?" Arry said as Nadia quickly looked away. "Oh I'm sorry I shouldn't be asking you these things."

"No it's alright, I…just need some time…maybe one day I can tell you but not now." Nadia said timidly avoiding Arry's eye contact.

Completely understanding that Nadia didn't want to talk about her past Arry kept walking whilst Rebecca and Jane talked and Infinity and Mya talked together. She looked down at her pip-boy which was completely dead and she hoped that maybe at New Sydney she could perhaps find a new battery or a recharger. Despite the fact she only rarely used it having it work helped her still feel connected back to home and her family.

She sighed looking away from her pip-boy to the journey in front of her.

* * *

"To think this entire region was once nothing but forests stretching out as far as the eye could see." Infinity said pointing out across the area around them which was nothing but dried burnt ground and dead weeds.

"How would you know? It's been like this for over a 100 years now." Mya said looking at Infinity.

'I've been around for a while." Infinity shrugged.

"Must have been a beautiful place with so much greenery." Jane sighed. "Now all that we have left is a barren dead ground that can't grow anything at all."

"Did all the animals die out?" Rebecca asked as the group walked past an old cattle skeleton embedded in the sandy soil.

"Most of them." Infinity said thinking to himself. "Some of them became mutated from the radiation like the wallabies and kangaroo's and of course the feral dogs."

"Why haven't we seen any?" Arry asked looking around her but saw no signs of life at all.

"From my experience most come out at night when it's easier to catch people…I mean their prey." He said quickly looking down at Nadia and Rebecca who both looked a little panicked.

"So how long is it till we get there then?" Rebecca asked turning to Mya.

"Actually dear we should be seeing it in the distance very soon." Mya said peering into the distance.

"We must be getting closer because I can smell stagnant water nearby from the dead river." Jane said pointing a little to the west.

"Let's follow the water up towards the Dam, it'll be the quickest way." Arry said eagerly as she and the others quickly walked about 1km west and reached what remained of Warragamba River but it was not what Arry had been expecting at all. She looked down at the water which smelt horrible and stagnant and the entire surface of the water was covered in a thick black glossy slick.

"I would have thought that the dam would churn the water a little?" Arry said turning to Infinity who didn't look surprised by the water at all.

"Before the bombs were dropped the dam was actually never properly finished. One of the main reasons that New Sydney was built was to try and finish the dam and generate hydroelectric power and clean water." Infinity said.

"They've been trying to fix and finish it ever since I was a child." Mya added. "Though from the sounds of it they're having a lot of trouble finding people who can work on it and they won't let just let anyone work on it either, the lady in charge is very strict on who she allows to work on it."

"Why?" Arry asked confused thinking that it would be better to have as many people working on it as possible to get it fixed and working as soon as possible.

"Matriarch Rodia is afraid that if she just let's anyone work on it than they'll just end of breaking it and having worked on it for so long she's not willing to take a chance that some idiot who doesn't know what they're doing will destroy over 50 years of work." Mya nodded.

"Is she the leader of New Sydney?" Arry asked.

"Yeah she's a very strong willed and powerful woman." Infinity noted. "She wants what's best for her town and will do almost anything to keep it that way."

"That's why it's so hard to become a citizen unless you offer the city something in return." Jane said quickly. "My husband, Rebecca and I before we decided to make to the trip to New Sydney from up north made sure we could all specialize in something to prove ourselves and gain entry."

Just as Jane finished Arry could finally see something up in the distance which appeared to be a huge rocky wall that extended both north and south with the dam in the very center. The only way up to the dam was a concrete path, one on both sides of the dam that lead up towards the bottom of it.

"Looks like we're finally here." Infinity said with a sigh as the group began to walk up one of the concrete paths towards the dam which towered above them at over 140m high and at least 350m wide as it crossed the landscape.

Arry looked up at it in amazement having never seen something so huge in real life before, it made her realize how amazing the entire city of Sydney must have once looked.

When the group reached the side of the dam they saw a small intercom beside the locked door.

Infinity quickly pushed the button as the group waited in silence for someone to answer.

"State your business." A voice came from the intercom.

"We've all come here to work." Infinity said quickly.

"All six of you?" The man on the intercom asked as Arry looked up towards the very top of the dam where she could just make out someone looking down at them. "You each must have something to offer before you're allowed inside."

"Well I've been here before, the names Infinity." Infinity said.

"Oh yes we've heard of you and have been waiting for your return so you can do some work for us." The man replied quickly. "What of you others?"

"My name is Mya Grace I used to live here a few years ago…"

"Hmm hold on a minute." The man replied as Arry heard him shuffling papers.

"Oh yes of course, you must return to work immediately Mya and your absence will be discussed in more detail later. What about you other women?"

"I'm Nadia and I used to be a teacher for young children up north." She said timidly into the speaker.

"Excellent we need more teachers for our children." The man said once again shuffling through papers.

"My name is Jane and…" Arry looked at Jane who thought for a moment before continuing. "These are my two daughters, I am a trained nurse and I am teaching my daughters to be nurses also." She said looking back at Arry who gave her a thankful smile.

"Excellent we are in need of such people as well as someone who can train others…?" The man said trailing off.

"Of course." Jane quickly added and as soon as she did there was a loud buzzing sound and the door into the dam sprung open.

Arry felt extremely nervous as she walked into the dam where they were immediately greeted with flights and flights of stairs leading upwards.

When they reached the top of the stairs they opened another door to the very top of the dam. Stepping through the doorway Arry looked straight in front of her where to the side of the river she could see a huge town but it was nothing like New Harbour it looked almost untouched from the damage she had seen in Old Sydney. The town extended into the distance with most buildings being at least 2 storey's high and were clean with no explosion or burn marks at all. The streets extended through the city in parallel lines and were full of people going about their business in streets that were clean from dirt, rubble and litter. It was as though she had completely stepped into another world and it was amazing.

"I need you all to write down your names here thank you." The man they had spoken to on the intercom said as he walked over to them with a notepad. "Another vaultee? A lot of you been around lately." The man commented looking at Arry.

"You've seen other people from vaults here recently?" Arry asked quickly as she signed her name on the notepad.

"Yeah check the previous few days log books and see if there's anyone you know." The man said pointing to the notepad as Arry quickly flipped to the previous few days and read down the list of names of people as they came and went from New Sydney. As she looked down the list her heart skipped a beat when she saw Paul's name. "He's here!" She said out aloud with a smile. "Do you know where he went?" Arry instantly said quickly walking up to the man and showing him the name.

"Oh right the other vaultee he said he was some kind of engineer so I sent him down to work at the dam repair facility. If you're lucky you might catch him before work finishes for the day." The man said pointing up at the sun which was just starting to set.

"Where's that?" Arry asked eagerly.

"I know the way." Infinity said quickly stepping forward.

"Go on dear." Jane said quickly stepping forward to Arry. "Thank you again for everything you've done."

"No need to thank me." Arry said with a smile.

"Now go on find your brother and then make sure you get yourself patched up." Jane said nodding.

"Let's go Infinity." Arry said looking up at him as the two walked away from the dam's edge into the city in front of them. "I can't believe it! He's actually here!" Arry said excitedly ignoring everything else around her.

"I've never seen you so happy." Infinity laughed as the two walked up to a building that wasn't to far from the dam which had a hand written sign over the door which read, 'Dam Facility No Unauthorized Personnel.'

The two walked into the building where they saw an older lady sitting at a messy desk.

"Yes…?" She said looking up at the two. "Ah you again." She said turning to Infinity.

"Looking good there Martha." He said giving her a wink.

"Been a long time." She said crossing her arms.

"You look exactly the same as you did back then." Infinity grinned as Martha shook her head.

"You may have been able to charm me in my younger days but I'm too old for that stuff now." Martha said raising an eyebrow. "Now what is it that this new friend of yours wants?" She asked turning to Arry.

"Her brother came in recently…" Before he could finish Arry interrupted.

"Yes his name is Paul is he here? Can I see him!?

"Wouldn't you rather clean yourself up first?" Martha said looking down at the dirt and dust covered vault uniform she was wearing that had a bloodstain on her arm.

"Come on let her in Martha, do it as a favour to me." Infinity said quickly.

"Only if you can start working for us tomorrow morning." She said picking up a pen and paper.

"Of course!" He replied happily as Martha scribbled down some notes on the paper.

"Go through the door behind me and he should be in there somewhere because he hasn't left for the night yet." Martha said pointing to the door behind her desk.

Arry quickly took a few steps forward when she noticed that Infinity wasn't coming with her she quickly turned around.

"Aren't you coming?" She asked looking back at him.

"No you go on I'll wait out here." He said with a small smile as Arry nodded before walking back towards the door her nerves once again making her feel sick.

Opening the door she looked into the large room which had benches around the edges of the entire room with the middle of the room filled with strange looking equipment she had never seen before. There were a few people working in the room at the benches but none of them took any notice of her when she walked in.

Walking into the room she looked around at all the people until she saw a familiar figure at the end of the room and quickly walked over to them.

"Paul is that you?" Arry said watching as a man in a dirty white coat turned around to see her.

"Arry!?" Paul said in shock as Arry quickly stepped forward without thinking and hugged him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 Brother of Mine**

"I am so happy you're here." Arry said pulling out of her hug and looking up at her brother who still looked completely shocked. "Oh what happen to you?!" Arry said gasping as she noticed Paul had a large bandage on his right cheek.

"After getting out of the vault I was attacked by some large dogs but luckily for me this was all they did before some old guy rescued me." Paul said shrugging. "What happened to you? You look…" Paul said searching for words.

"It's nothing really." Arry said quickly. "Did you see New Harbour? Did you see the Harbour Bridge?" Arry asked eagerly.

"All I can say about New Harbour is that I'm glad I didn't have to stay there to long way too many of those horrible ghoul things." Paul said pulling a disgusted face as Arry let the comment slide. "I caught that old mans boat across the Harbour as soon as I arrived to get out of that dump and just followed the river to the west then went across some country and found my way up here."

"Did you run into any trouble?"

"Other than those feral dogs right outside the vault I didn't, although everything I took out with me is gone, that boat man took it all for the Harbour crossing."

"I ran into a little trouble but really it was nothing." Arry quickly lied. "Mum must be so worried about us! We should get back as soon as possible." She continued quickly looking up at her brother who didn't seem too keen on the idea.

"Oh I'm not going back to that place." Paul said calmly.

"But…I came to find you and bring you home." Arry said looking up at her brother. "Don't you care how worried everyone must be about you?" Arry frowned.

"Arry I have learnt so much about our past whilst I've been here and neither of us belong in that prison."

"What about mum and our brothers and sisters? Are you just going to forget about them?" Arry couldn't understand what Paul was saying.

"Listen to me Arry." He said putting his hand on her shoulder and looking down at her.

"That woman back at the base isn't our mother and that man wasn't really our father. Neither of us are even related to anyone back at that vault."

Arry quickly pushed Paul's hand of her shoulder and glared angrily up at him.

"That's not true."

"Look inside yourself Arry you know it's true. Sometimes the truth hurts…" He said crossing his arms as Arry flashed back to what her mother had told her before she left the vault.

"So you just don't care anymore is that it?"

"I do but I never asked for you to come find me, you really should have stayed in the vault." Arry couldn't believe what she was hearing. After everything she had done to find her brother and make sure that he was safe he didn't seem to care or even be concerned about the people who had loved and cared for him his entire life back at the vault.

"I-I have to go." Arry said shaking her head as she turned around.

"No Arry wait…" Paul started but Arry wasn't listening as she stormed across the room.

As she stormed out of the room back into the reception she saw Infinity and Martha talking at the front desk.

"That was quick." Infinity said looking over at Arry as she walked past the desk and towards the door. "Hey wait up." Infinity called out as Arry opened the door and stepped outside where she noticed that it was now getting quite dark out.

"Hold on a minute." Infinity said quickly grabbing her arm causing her to stop and turn back to him holding back the tears in her eyes. "What's wrong? Is your brother alright?" Infinity said looking concerned.

"He's fine." Arry sighed looking down at the ground.

"I don't understand?"

"He doesn't care…he doesn't care that I came out all this way to find him and make sure he was alright and bring him back home and he doesn't seem to care about our family back home."

"I think I need to have a word with him then." Infinity frowned as he turned around but Arry quickly stopped him.

"No please just leave him."

"He obviously doesn't understand what you've done to find him! You risked your life to find that ungrateful little…" He looked down at Arry who quickly wiped a tear away that slid down her face.

"I really just want to be alone please." Arry said quickly shaking her head as she walked away back towards the dam leaving Infinity looking after her.

Despite the fact that the sun had now completely gone down there was a near full moon which lit the way for Arry as she slowly walked back up to the dam wall where she instantly noticed that the man she had seen early was no longer there. There was a long walk way on the top of the dam that led from one side to the other and on the other side she could make out what appeared to be a small set of 5 little satellite dishes in a row.

Arry walked all the way across the dam to the other side where there appeared to be a small viewpoint type area that she assumed was at one point going to have been an observation deck for visitors to the dam.

Seeing an old metal bench she slowly sat down and looked into the distance where she could see nothing but flat ground, no lights, no sounds and no signs of life at all.

Looking out into the distance Arry couldn't help but think about her mother and siblings back in the vault and wondered whether or not they were thinking about her and Paul. She remembered discussing with Paul the day he left about how her and her siblings had so many differences between them but if Paul was telling the truth and some of them weren't related to her by blood did it even really matter? It didn't to her but then why did it seem to matter to Paul so much?

Hearing a noise behind her she turned around just in time to watch as a man walked out from near the small satellite dishes. The man walked up onto the dam and jumped in surprise when he saw Arry looking at him.

"Oh I didn't see you there." The man said quickly with a laugh as Arry just gave him a small smile. "What are you doing out here on your own? I don't remember there being any patrols tonight. I thought those wild dogs had stopped bothering us months ago." The man said walking forward and looking down at the bottom of the dam.

"Oh no I just arrived." Arry said quickly.

"Oh I can see." The man said pointing down at the vault uniform she was wearing. "Again not that it's any of my business but why are you out here on your own?"

"Just thinking." She quickly looked up at him. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm an engineer working on setting up those little dishes back there but those annoying rad-crows keep coming down and making nests in them." He complained as Arry laughed a little. "It's easier to find the crows at night since they glow that's why I'm up here so late…"

"They what?" Arry asked stunned.

"Joking." The man grinned looking down at Arry who smiled a little.

"Tell me…what is a vaultee doing all the way out here?" The man asked as Arry slowly shuffled over so he could sit down on the bench with her. She honestly didn't know who he was but she really wanted someone, anyone to talk to.

"You'd never believe me." Arry shook her head.

"Try me, some of the stories I've heard people talk about around here I mean just recently I met up with my son who had travelled across the entire Old Sydney area to find me…" The man stopped when he looked at Arry who looked completely taken aback

"Hey Arry!" Hearing her name Arry turned around to see Paul running up towards the pair.

"Arry?" The man said quickly standing up as Arry did the same. "You…you're Arry." The man said in shock.

Paul looked at the shocked expressions on both the mans face and Arry's.

"Oh you haven't…?" Paul said looking at the pair as Arry quickly shook her head. "Arry this is our father." He continued as Arry turned to her father and for the first time noticed that he and Paul actually did look quite similar and that he had the exact same blue eyes as she and Paul had but he couldn't be, could he?

"I…I don't understand?" Arry said still in shock, this man couldn't possibly be her father she had never seen him before in her life and her mother had never mentioned her before.

"Maybe you should explain Dad." Paul said turning to his father who quickly nodded and sat back down and motioned Arry to do the same.

"My daughter." Arry's father said in shock looking at her with a smile. "You look just like your mother how did I not notice that until now?"

"This can't be possible…" Arry said to herself still not quite being able to believe what she was hearing. "How can you be Paul's and my father? I had a father…"

Arry's father sighed and looked back out into the distance over the dam.

"It was a long time ago now but your mother and I originally came from the south in search of New Sydney. We had Paul who was still very young and your mother had just had you but she was sick and our old settlement down by what used to be known as Wollongong didn't have the supplies or the doctors we needed."

"Why was mum…she so sick?" Arry asked.

"I never found out because by the time we reached Old Sydney I knew she wasn't going to make it to New Sydney. We ran into another traveler who told me to attempt to get into one of the vaults to ask for help. I tried so many vaults but no one would let us in until we got to vault A-79 where a man called Donald or something let us in. They tried to save her but your mother died and it was then that those Donald's turned on me…" The man sighed. "They told me I had to leave and that they would keep both you and Paul there at the vault and if I were ever to come back they'd kill you."

"You remember how those Donald's were always saying we needed fresh blood in the vault?" Paul said spinning around to look at them as Arry nodded. "Well they stole you and I from Dad to use us as simply a fresh breeding tool so they didn't have to leave the vault for a generation."

"Did you just leave?" Arry asked turning back to her father.

"Your mother had just died and they threatened to kill you so I had no choice, you understand don't you?" Arry's father said sadly looking at his daughter.

For a moment Arry was quite angry that he had just left Paul and her there but she quickly softened when she understood the reasons behind what he had done.

"When the dam is finished the Matriarch is hoping to convince all the people in the vaults to come live here." Paul quickly added. "Dad thought that if he helped as much as possible then he could help finish it and come find us."

"Did they treat you alright?" Arry's father asked concerned. Arry thought for a moment before replying.

"They did, mum and dad always treated me and Paul like her own and we had 2 brothers and 2 sisters."

"Wow really?" Arry's Dad said surprised. "Busy…I mean..." He said blushing a little as Arry gave a small laugh.

"But I don't understand why didn't you remember any of this Paul you can't have been that young?" Arry asked looking up at her brother.

"Honestly I thought they were nothing more than dreams but what I really want to say is that I came to here to apologize." Paul said quickly looking back at Arry. "It's not that I'm not grateful that you came looking for me it's just that the work we are doing here is simply amazing and it will help us bring power back to the region something that hasn't been seen here for over 120 years."

"Is that why you don't want to come back with me?"

"It's the only reason Arry, it's not that I didn't want to see you or my other family again it's just that like Dad I wanted to wait and try to finish this and then come back for you." Paul said walking over and sitting down on the bench beside her.

"I guess I jumped to conclusions." Arry admitted shaking her head.

"And I didn't explain myself well enough." Paul said with a sigh.

"But wait what I don't understand is how you knew to come here to New Sydney?" The only reason that Arry had known to come here was because of Infinity and the people at New Harbour who had informed her about it so how did Paul know?

"Those Donald's keep excellent records." Paul said thinking to himself. "To bad their computer lock wasn't very good."

"You hacked in to their computer?" Arry asked with a smile.

"Oh nice." Arry's dad said as both Arry and Paul turned to him.

"Their records explained exactly what happened the day mum and dad arrived and that they had been on the way to this place called New Sydney. They have records of every single person who has ever lived and visited that vault in that computer. "

"If I ever see those Donald's again." Arry's dad said angrily.

"You and me both!" Paul quickly added before Arry's father quickly stood up.

"Maybe we should get back to my place for the night it's getting cold out and I'll help you get cleaned up Arry." Arry's dad said looking down at his daughter who quickly nodded. "I hope we'll get a chance to talk more over the next few days but now you need to rest." He said looking at her.

"I would like that." She said as the three began to walk back across the dam and down into the town where Arry saw Infinity waiting for them beside a building. When he saw them he quickly ran up to them.

"I was wondering how long your family reunion would last." Infinity said looking at them.

"You've been hanging around with this guy?" Arry's father said looking at Infinity as Arry nodded. "I see."

"Can he stay with us as well?" Arry quickly asked as her father thought for awhile before finally nodding.

"Excellent." Infinity said with a grin as the group began to walk down the long streets.

"Paul seemed to know exactly what I'd gone through to find him when I spoke to him just then." Arry said softly looking up at Infinity who had a guilty look on his face.

"I might have had a few words with him." Infinity whispered with a smile.

"Thank you." She whispered quietly.

As they walked it was almost impossible for Arry to see much of the town because despite the fact it was a near full moon most of the town was still hidden in darkness and there was no one else on the streets.

"Here we are." Arry's father said stopping beside a small one storey hotel looking room. Opening the door they quickly stepped inside where Paul stepped forward and quickly lit a few candles. "It's not much 2 small bedrooms and this living room." He said turning back to Arry who stepped inside. "You can have the room at the end for yourself."

"What about me?" Infinity chirped in.

"You can sleep on the floor if you like." Arry's father said crossing his arms.

"Now you settle in, I just have to pop out but I'll be back later on." With that Arry's father quickly walked back outside and closed the door.

"Here you can clean yourself up in your room if you like." Paul said stepping forward with a small piece of cloth and a small bottle of water.

"Oh of course thanks." Arry said taking the items.

"You better get some sleep." Paul said quickly handing Arry one of the small candles as she nodded and began to walk down the tiny hall where she opened the door and saw a small room with a single bed pushed up against the corner.

She walked inside and closed the door behind her. Putting the candle on the floor she used the small cloth and water to clean her face and the dried blood around her arm which was only from a little scratch. Feeling the back of her necks under her hair she could feel a few small pieces of glass from the explosion back at the bunker and winced a few times as she pulled the little pieces out and cleaned the area.

Yawning and feeling absolutely exhausted she quickly blew out the candle and laid back in the bed feeling completely safe for the first time since she had left the vault.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 Problematic Future**

"I'm going to be so late!" Arry heard her father say as she slowly sat up in her bed and yawned. She hadn't slept that well since she had been in the vault. Quickly getting up she walked over to the door and opened it peering out to see her father in the main room looking all over the shelves and benches in the room.

"Are you sure you didn't leave it up there last night?" Paul asked.

"Maybe one of those crows took it?" Infinity said as he and Paul grinned.

"Very helpful." Arry's father said annoyingly as Arry walked out into the room.

"What are you looking for?" She asked.

"He has a meeting with the Matriarch this morning and he can't find his note book." Paul said turning to her.

"Oh by the way I got you these last night Arry." Her father said quickly picking up a bundle of clothes and handing them to her. "It's just some casual clothes so people won't keep hounding you for wearing that vault uniform."

"Already burnt mine." Paul said quickly.

"Really?" Arry asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well no but I did think about." Paul said with a smirk.

"Can I come with you?" Arry asked quickly turning back to her father.

"Of course just give a me a second to have one last look for this notebook." He said with a huff. 'And you two can help me." He said pointing at Paul and Infinity.

Smirking a little to herself Arry quickly walked back to her room to change into the casual clothes that her father had bought her.

They were nothing special of course just a simple pair of long black pants and a dirty blue short sleeve shirt and a stained grey jacket. She had to admit to herself that she never liked those horrible vault uniforms and honestly never knew why the Donald's had enforced everyone to wear them all the time.

After she had changed she quickly walked back out of the room and over to her father, Paul and Infinity who were waiting by the door.

"I couldn't find it but we really have to go." Her father said as the group quickly walked outside and as soon as she was outside she noticed that now the entire street was full of people going about their business.

"What's this meeting about?" Arry asked as the group quickly hurried through the crowds back to the facility she had met Paul in the previous day.

"We're having a lot of trouble finishing off the last parts of the dam, we just don't seem to enough qualified people and the ones we do have can only do so much." her father sighed.

"I'm afraid I wasn't too much help." Paul admitted. "Most of the old damn having being built so long ago uses such old technology that a lot a younger engineers or scientists like myself know very little on how to get it to work." He confessed with a sigh.

"Last time I was here Matriarch wasn't happy about the slow progress and that was quite awhile ago now." Infinity quickly added. "I suppose now that she's older she has even less patience."

As they walked it was extremely clear that what people had told her about New Sydney was true in that she hadn't yet seen any civilized ghouls at all.

"Paul are there any ghouls living in New Sydney?" She asked turning to him.

"Not very many…"

"Actually…" Infinity interrupted. "Apart from the obvious most of the ghouls that work here work on the dam or outskirts of the city removing radioactive waste so that's why you don't see them around very much."

"It's hard to consider you a ghoul technically." Paul quickly added turning to Infinity before looking back at Arry. "He told me all about it last night when I remarked how so many people I spoke to seemed to know who he was."

Before anyone else had a chance to say anything they arrived back at the front door to the facility that they quickly opened and went inside where Martha was standing in front of her desk.

"You're late!" She exclaimed.

"Yes I know I lost my papers." Arry's father admitted.

"Matriarch is already in the next room waiting for you and she does not look happy." Martha continued.

"I better not keep her." He continued quickly walking past her towards the door but as they started to walk towards it Arry noticed as Martha quickly stopped Infinity.

"You're late as well, remember our conversation yesterday?"

"About how young you look?" Infinity said quickly.

"Nice try, now you better get to that dam and find the Repair leader and let him know why you're over an hour late." She said crossing her arms as Infinity nodded and sighed.

"You're the boss." He said before turning to Arry and giving her a wave. "I better do what she says and besides I wasn't too keen to meet Matriarch again." He said before turning around and walking back outside.

Turing back around Arry quickly caught up with her father and Paul as they entered the next room.

In the room all the engineers and scientists inside where standing up in a small group in front of a lady who was speaking to them. The lady which Arry assumed was the Matriarch was quite a tall women who was wearing high heels and a long navy blue long sleeve dress. As they approached her Arry could see that she was at least 50 years old and had short dark grey hair and was wearing thick black eyeliner.

"I see lateness runs in the family." She said in a deep voice looking to the three as they approached her.

"My daughter arrived yesterday." Arry's father said quickly.

"Yes so I have heard, this is good news because if she is anything like you or her brother she will prove useful to our cause." She said looking down at Arry. "Now enough of these pleasantries we all have work to get on with so let's get down to business."

"Yes of course." Arry's father said quickly.

"Now Andrew tell me what I want to hear." The Matriarch sighed.

"I'm afraid I can't, we are still lacking the expertise we need to get the generators up and running and there is no one we know of who can help us understand this old technology." Arry's father continued.

"At this rate I'm going to be dead before I see anything get achieved." Matriarch said angrily.

It was then Arry suddenly remembered that Dr North whom she had met back at New Harbour had described himself a scientist who had turned into the local Doctor. Being a ghoul he must have been around back when the dam was being built and so he may have an idea of the old technology that they used.

"I met a scientist at New Harbour called Dr North and he told me he used to be a scientist." Arry said as she stepped forward.

"Why have I not heard of this man before?" Matriarch asked but no one answered.

"He told me he's been at New Harbour for a long time and before then roamed Old Sydney and so I don't think he's ever been here." Arry said breaking the silence.

"He lives at New Harbour?" Matriarch said shaking her head. "I can't believe people still live in that dump. But dump or not we need this man and we need him here now."

"We can't possibly spare anyone from here to go we're all needed on the project." Arry's father said quickly looking back at his daughter and son.

"I'll just find someone who is willing to go." Matriarch said boredly.

"I'll go get him." Arry said looking back at Matriarch.

"All settled! You will leave as soon as possible and bring him here. We will supply you with whatever food, water and supplies you need before you leave." With that Matriarch without another word quickly left the room.

"You can't go back out there!" Arry's father said quickly turning to Arry as the other scientists who had been lined up went back to work.

"I know him dad…I mean." Arry said still feeling conflicted about calling a man she had just met dad. "If I explain to him why we need him he and his daughter may decide to come because I know he'll want what's best for her and this is the safest place around. It will also give me a chance to go back to the vault and let mum know that Paul and I are alright."

"The Donald's will never let you in!" Paul said quickly.

"I have to try at least. I need to let them know we're both alright because everyone was so scared for you when you left and they'll be worried about us both now." Arry said with a sigh.

"Then let me come with you." Paul nodded but Arry quickly shook her head.

"No I want you here Paul, I know you can look after yourself but I want you stay here and be safe."

"I'm the one whose supposed to be looking out for you not the other way around." Paul said with a laugh.

"When will you go?" Arry's father asked sadly.

"If Infinity and I leave tomorrow at first light we'll be able to get to New Harbour before it gets dark and then hopefully we'll be able to come back the next day. I'll be gone for two days at the most." She said turning to father who looked concerned.

"Well for today at least you can stay here and work with us." Paul said pointing to the bench he had been working on yesterday.

"Of course." Arry said nodding as she and Paul walked over to Paul's working bench whilst her father looked after them but didn't say anything.

* * *

"So does dad talk very much about what happened?" Arry asked her brother as the two stood beside the working bench where Paul was working on some equipment a few hours after Matriarch had left and everything had returned to normal.

"Not really." Paul said looking up and over to their father who was talking to some other engineers at the end of the room. "He asked about you constantly though." Paul laughed.

"Really?" Arry said looking over at her dad.

"Yeah to be honest I was surprised he didn't recognize you last night! If I were you I'd talk to him tonight before you leave tomorrow…he's a little like you sometimes a bit shy." Paul said as Arry quickly turned to him.

"I'm not that shy." She said crossing her arms.

"Do I have to remind you about that one time in the vault when you were so shy and were so scared to talk to the other kids that you hid inside the locker and got locked in by accident?" Paul said with a grin as Arry blushed.

"Shh don't ever tell anyone that!" Arry said in a whisper. "I'm not that shy anymore."

"Yes anymore! Which means that you still are a little bit shy."

"Alright I get your point which means you must have gotten your loud mouth and confidence from our real mother then." She said with a smirk.

"No go one you're wasting time! Convince him to leave so you two can talk and I'll work a little later and if I bump into Infinity I'll make sure he gets the big brother treatment about you." Arry turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Hey with you looking out for me all the time I think it's time I started to be a proper big brother and look after you."

"Alright then just remember no childhood stories." Arry said as she started to walk away.

"No promises!" Paul yelled after her as she approached her dad.

"Oh hello." Her father said as Arry walked up to him. "I'll catch you later." He said turning to the two scientists he was talking to who nodded and walked away. "Anything I can do for you?"

"I was hoping that maybe we could leave a little early and maybe just have a talk." She said quietly looking up at him.

"Oh ok sure what about Paul?" Her father said looking over at Paul who wasn't doing a very convincing job at pretending not to look at them.

"I was hoping maybe just you a me?" Arry asked.

"Oh yeah of course lets go then." He said quickly as the two walked back towards the exit door and into the foyer where Martha was sitting at her desk. "I'm leaving a little early today Martha." Her father said looking down at Martha who just nodded and wrote something down on a piece of paper.

The two walked down the foyer and back outside into the busy street.

"So where would you like to go?" I'm afraid we don't really have any nice social places around here." He said looking up and down the street.

"Maybe you could show me where you were working last night?" Arry asked knowing that at least there they should be alone and away from the hustle and bustle of the town.

Arry bit her lip as the two walked knowing how awkward that not only she felt but also her father felt.

"What job did they give you in that vault?" He asked looking down at her pip-boy.

"A greenhouse gardener actually." She said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"You should have been something like your brother working on engineering! How did you get stuck doing what you did?"

"An extremely pointless test but it doesn't matter any more." She said shaking her head. "Nothing will be the same in the vault anymore if I ever get back in again anyway."

"Why don't you come back and stay here with me and your brother? We can work on the dam together." He said hopefully.

"I do have to admit that although the world out here isn't anything like I expected it to be I have to admit that there is just so much more freedom out here and this place is much safer than New Harbour especially with those Beach Raiders and feral ghouls."

"Hmm Yes I have heard of those Beach Raiders." Arry's father said as the two walked up onto the dam wall and began to walk across to the other side. "Make sure you never go anywhere near the coast." He said seriously.

"Don't worry after some of the horrible stuff I have heard people say about them I'll avoid it at all costs."

As the two walked Arry could sense that there was something her father wanted to say to her but every time he went to say something he stopped himself.

"You can ask me anything you like." Arry said looking up at him.

"Your father in the vault…" He started. "Was he a good father?"

"He was…he always looked after me, Paul and my other siblings he even died fixing the vaults broken generator so that all the residents didn't have to leave and we could still be safe." She looked up at her father who looked a little hurt. "When he died I never thought I'd ever get over it…and now here I am almost getting a second chance with my real father."

"I'll try to be there for you like I should have been. I'll try to make-up for everything, I…" He was stopped when Arry quickly stopped him by taking his hand.

"You don't need to try to do anything I just want you with me that's enough…my old father can never be replaced but that doesn't mean that I don't want you in my life because I do." She smiled up at him.

"You know even though I wish you were still safe in that vault I can't help but admit that I'm glad you and Paul are here."

"Let's not waste it then! Now I want to know everything about your job." She grinned.

Just as her father was about to say something both of them heard a yell and Arry looked out at the water on the opposite side of New Sydney and saw Infinity and what appeared to be at least three other ghouls beside the water. Infinity waved at her grinning as he and the others appeared to dredging some of the dam with some equipment.

"I need to talk to you about that young man." Arry's father said turning to her.

"He's fine you don't' need to…." She stopped when she noticed her father laughing.

"Got you." He said laughing as the two walked up to the small satellite dishes. "Now let's see…"


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 17 Warning**

The next day just as the sun was starting to rise Arry, Infinity, Paul and Arry's father left the apartment and walked out into the street.

"Was Martha a little angry since you have to leave again so soon?" Arry asked looking up at Infinity who nodded.

"She's become very moody in her old age but she assured me that when we come back in a few days that she's going to make sure I do twice as much to catch up!" He sighed. "Something to look forward to."

"Matriarch is going to be working all the ghouls that live here really hard to clean up that dam now that we have a scientist who actually may be able to help us finish it arriving so soon." Paul added.

As the group walked up towards the dam Arry noticed that her father hadn't said anything since they left his apartment. Whilst Infinity and Paul talked she quickly walked up beside him.

"You're very quiet." She said looking up at him.

"I really should be coming with you." He said looking down at her.

"You know that Matriarch wants you here to make sure everyone prepares for when Dr North arrives."

"I know but it doesn't make me feel any less horrible to have to watch you leave back into the world out there." He said as the small group walked up to the dam wall where they saw two men waiting for them beside the door that led back down the dam to the outside.

"Morning." One of the men said stepping forward and handing Arry and Infinity a small bag each. "Courtesy of the Matriarch."

"Oh a surprise bag!" Infinity said excitedly as he took the bag and quickly opened it and began to shuffle through it to see what was inside.

"I guess this is goodbye for now." Arry said turning to her brother and father as Infinity continued to search through his bag.

"Stay safe but I really think you're more than capable now of looking after yourself." Paul said with a smile. "Oh and before you go!" He said quickly taking something out of his pocket and handing it to her. "I got you a new battery for your pip-boy yesterday before I left work but I forgot to give it to you last night."

"Where did you find that?" Arry's father said looking down at the battery in Paul's hand.

"Took it from work." He said quickly. "No one saw me though!"

"Oh nice." Her father said nodding and watching as Arry put her arm out and Paul quickly undid the screws with a small screwdriver and took out the old battery before putting in the new one.

"Thanks Paul." Arry said.

"Oh look at this Arry we get a shotgun and a bottle of water!? Hustler is going to be so jealous we got these for free." Infinity grinned stepping forward.

"Don't take too long and make sure you come straight back." Arry's father said stepping forward and giving his daughter a hug.

"Don't worry Dad we'll be fine." Arry said giving him a smile as she turned around as one of Matriarchs men unlocked the door. Infinity gave Paul and Arry's father a quick wave before walking inside but just as Arry went to follow Paul quickly walked up beside her.

"I know we haven't spoken as much as I would have liked but can you please do one thing for me?" He said in a whisper.

"Of course." Arry quickly nodded.

"Tell mum…I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly." He said looking a little saddened.

"I will and don't worry Paul I will get in that vault to see her, I can promise you that much." She said looking at Paul who nodded as Arry gave him and her father one last smile and wave before walking down the stairs after Infinity as she heard the door close and lock behind her.

She quickly caught up to Infinity just as they reached the bottom door which after a few moments automatically opened and the two stepped outside.

Arry in the short time she had been in New Sydney had grown so accustomed to its surroundings that now stepping back outside at the bottom of the dam she was hit with the reality of the real world once more.

"I wish I had gotten to see Jane, Mya, Rebecca and Nadia before we left." Arry said as the two began to walk down the ramp at the side of the dam towards the barren dusty ground below.

"I'm sure they'll be here when you get back, after what they've been through I doubt they'll want to go anywhere in a hurry." When Infinity finished Arry began to think about when she had first arrived and how Jane had lied to get her inside and after everything Arry had heard about how hard it was to get inside New Sydney she was surprised she'd got in so easily.

"It seemed quite easy to get into New Sydney." Arry started. "I'd heard nothing but how hard it was to get in but it seemed so easy for us."

"I wouldn't go believing that for too long Matriarch is a very thorough women." Infinity started. "She would have known as soon as you arrived and would have known that you were related to Paul and your father Andrew so she knew that even though you lied to get in that you would be of some use so she let you stay."

"So she checks on everyone that comes into the town?"

"It wouldn't necessarily always be her but they so and if they find out you lied they kick you out pretty quick smart unless you can prove you're worthy of staying." He laughed a little. "I remember there was this one guy who lied to get in by saying he was a doctor or something like that and when Matriarch found out she got him to prove he was Doctor by treating someone who had injured themselves working on the dam."

"What happened to him?"

"Let's just say after Matriarch found out he couldn't even stand the sight of blood she kicked him out so fast that I'm surprised she didn't' just throw him over the dam." Infinity laughed.

"What did he do then?" Arry asking not seeing the situation as amusing as Infinity did.

"No idea never heard from him again." Infinity said shrugging.

It wasn't that Arry didn't believe that in this new world that people should be helping each other and pulling their weight but the idea of just kicking people out or ignoring them just because they weren't a doctor or engineer didn't seem fair. Surely there could have been something else the man could have done to help? It was now only after having been at both New Harbour and New Sydney that she could see how two extremely different towns and colonies could be set up in the same world but yet be so different. Where New Harbour welcomed and harboured anyone inside its walls New Sydney was very picky and appeared to kick people out on a whim. New Harbour allowed civilized ghouls inside its walls but New Sydney and it's people including her brother disliked them and almost treated them as slaves giving them the hard labour jobs and not allowing them to be seen around the town.

"I'm not sure if Dr North is going to want to come with us." Arry confessed turning to Infinity who looked a little puzzled.

"Why? I would have thought he'd want his daughter somewhere safe."

"Well…" Arry bit her lip. "I didn't' tell the Matriarch he was a ghoul, do you think she'll mind?" She looked up at Infinity who looked a little concerned.

"I'm not going to lie because I know she has a particular dislike of ghouls in general but I also believe her being so close to finishing that dam she will most likely need him but Dr North is a smart man and he most likely knows about ghoul prejudice in New Sydney and so you're right in that he may not want to help."

"I hope he does…" Arry said to herself thinking back to how angry Matriarch would be if North decides he doesn't want to help. Maybe she'd be so angry she'd kick Arry out?

"Hey at least you have a good long day to think about what you're going to say! I know pretend I'm North and practice on me." Infinity said turning to her. "Too bad they didn't give me any cool looking lab coats in this bag so I could look the part."

"What was is the bag?" Arry asked not actually having had a look inside hers yet.

"A bottle of water, some dried food, a shotgun and some extra ammo." Infinity said. "Ok ready let's go! What are you going to say to me?" Arry looked up at him and sighed it was going to be a long day.

After what seemed like at least half the day finally Arry and Infinity began to see the outskirts of Old Sydney in the distance. As they neared the outskirts Arry could see the familiar sights of destroyed buildings and in the Harbour itself she could see remnants of large ghostly rusted ships.

As they walked Infinity quickly changed his attitude to a more serious one as he pulled out his shotgun from his bag and Arry quickly did the same knowing that once again they had entered feral ghoul territory.

"Why aren't there many feral ghouls outside of the city?" Arry asked looking up at Infinity.

"A few years after the bombs dropped there were quite a few of them that would run all over the country side killing everyone and everything they saw because at that time a lot of survivors were completely lost and often wandered off in all directions looking for other people in small groups which made them easy pickings for the feral ghouls who followed them. Over time most people wised up to the new dangers of the world and most if they decided to leave the city took some form of protection with them as they left and always left during the day when the ghouls couldn't sneak up on them. The feral ghouls not being as stupid as some people think they are decided to stay in the city rather than chase people all over the country side where out in the open they'd easily be spotted and taken down. Feral ghouls rely mainly on one thing, surprise, and they can only do this in areas with a lot of cover and places to hide or at night. Out in the open in daylight against someone who has a gun they have no chance and most will not attack."

"I understand." Arry said nodding to herself as they walked down the empty and barren streets towards the remains of the Harbour Bridge in the distance. "What did you do when all those people left Old Sydney? Did you ever think of leaving with them?" Arry asked.

"I thought about leaving especially after my sister died." He sighed. "But to be honest this was my home and I knew it so well that I was reluctant to leave. That's not saying that over the past years I haven't traveled around a little bit but the world has become such a dangerous place in the past 50 years that is safer in the city with other people. I know for a fact that rumors about what they're trying to do at New Sydney by restoring power and hopefully getting clean water running once again has gotten people excited and wanting to return to the city in recent years. However another reason I have heard why some people are starting to return to cities is because most places around the country now have no law or order of any kind and places are slowly being overrun by gangs and it's been scaring people and families and they're all migrating away from these dangerous areas to safer locations such as New Harbour and New Sydney."

"Gangs like the Beach Raiders?" Arry said thinking back to the warning her father had given her about them.

"They've been in this Sydney region for only around 30 years now and have kept mostly to themselves on the coastal fringes but I'm sure that one day they're going to try and destroy New Harbour and then move onto New Sydney."

"Why would they want to try and take over New Sydney? I would have thought most people would want power and fresh drinking water?"

"These gangs aren't stupid and they know that if they control places with a lot of people and resources then they can hoard the power for themselves." He looked down at the worried expression on Arry's face. "Though honestly I wouldn't worry about it because once we get North and let your family know you're safe we'll get back to New Sydney and you won't need to worry about those Beach raiders."

"Will you stay in New Sydney with me and help finish the dam?" Arry asked as the two walked up to the same pier that Frank had dropped them off on a few days earlier.

'I will stay to help finish it this time…but let's get Frank over here first." He said quickly changing the subject as Arry looked over to the other side of the Harbour where she could see New Harbour.

"How will he know we're here?" Arry asked curiously watching as Infinity walked down the pier towards a small box.

"We could just wait like everyone else to see if he does an afternoon pass-by to look for customers but us regulars have a quicker way to grab his attention." Infinity grinned pulling out a medium sized mirror from under the box.

"Oh I see." Arry said with a smile as she walked forward and watched as Infinity used the large mirror to try and reflect the sunlight exactly into where the pipe was that led from the Harbour water in New Harbour and reflect it off another tiny mirror that was there.

"Now we just need to wait and see if he was looking or just wait till later this afternoon." Infinity said putting the mirror back down under the box as he and Arry sat down on the pier overlooking the water.

"I don't think I've had a chance to say thank you for coming back with me again." Arry said looking over the Harbour as the water lapped up against the sides of the broken Harbour Bridge sticking out of the water.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you found your brother." Infinity said turning to her.

"I couldn't have done it without your help."

"Well maybe." He said turning to her with a grin as she just shook her head and smiled.

Looking out into the Harbour Arry squinted her eyes and saw something coming towards them.

"I think he saw your message." Arry said pointing out to the small dingy as it slowly chugged across towards them.

"You two." Frank said crossing his arms as he pulled up beside the pier after a few minutes. "You better have something good for me this time!"

"Calm down their Captain." Infinity said putting his hand into his bag and pulling out the bottle of water and food rations The Matriarch had given him.

"What about her pay?" Frank taking the items from Infinity and glaring at Arry and her bag.

"That's for both of us." Infinity said angrily.

"Not enough." Frank said.

"Fine give them back." Infinity said leaning over to grab the items back from Frank who greedily pulled back.

"Hang on hang on!" He cooed quickly.

"Either take us both Frank or not only am I going to take those items back but someone's going to get wet." Infinity said staring at Frank who quickly reconsidered.

"Fine." He sneered as Infinity winked back at Arry before the two jumped into the boat.

"Didn't expect to see you back again." Frank said looking at Arry.

"We've come back looking for Dr North." She said.

"He ain't leaving. He's been here for years and hates New Sydney." Frank said shaking his head. "Nope, no way he's going to go with you."

Arry went to argue with him but quickly decided against it and decided to just wait till they had reached the other side so they could go and talk with North face to face to get his decision.

When they reached New Harbour Arry and Infinity quickly jumped off the small dingy and began to walk back through New Harbour towards where Dr North's building was located.

The difference once again Arry noticed was immediate between the people of New Sydney and the people here at New Harbour with the most obvious being of course that at least 1 in every 5 people at New Harbour was a civilized ghoul.

It didn't take the two long before they found Dr North's building and quickly walked inside where they saw Phillipa.

"Oh you're back!" She said with a smile. "Arry did you find your brother? Was he ok?" She asked quickly as Arry nodded with a smile.

"He was fine Phillipa and he made it to New Sydney."

"I'm so happy for you but what are you doing here? Once people go to New Sydney and if they're accepted they never come back…well most anyway." She said glancing back at Infinity.

"They're having some problems fixing the dam and the Matriarch was hoping that your father may be able to come and help us so we could get it working." Arry said looking at Phillipa who didn't look too sure.

"Phillipa whose in there with you?" Arry heard North yell from a nearby room.

"Arry and Infinity are back and they would like to speak with you." Phillipa called back out before turning back to Arry. "He's never liked New Sydney he…" Before she could finish North walked in.

"What are you two doing back from New Sydney?" He asked walking over to them.

"Dr North the Matriarch is having a lot of trouble with the old technology at the dam and she needs people who can understand it so they can finish it." Arry looked at North who frowned.

"If you're here to ask me than I'm not going!" He said sternly.

"They could really use your help though! If they finish the dam they'll be able to provide power for the entire area and soon be able to supply fresh drinking water as well." Arry continued looking at North who still looked angry.

"That entire place is absolutely horrible! They treat normal people like slaves, threaten them with being kicked out of the so called paradise if they ever falter in their work and worst of all they treat us civilized ghouls like monsters!" North said shaking his head. "I don't want my daughter to live in that type of world, I have taught her to respect people for who they are not what they look like or on their usefulness in certain jobs like people do in New Sydney." He said turning to Phillipa.

"North they are treating ghouls a little better there." Infinity added.

"What are they doing exactly?" North said raising an eyebrow.

"They work on the dam by dredging the water or removing radioactive waste and materials." Infinity said truthfully.

"I was right nothing but slave work away from everyone else!" North said with a huff. "I am sorry but my answer is no and I am sorry you wasted your time having to come all the way back out here. Now if you excuse me I have a patient who needs some fresh bandages." North said as he picked up some bandages on a nearby table and disappeared into another room.

"I am sorry." Phillipa said stepping forward.

"There's no need to apologize." Arry said quickly as Phillipa thought to herself.

"Let me talk to him Arry if I can help him understand that he will be making a real difference to the lives of thousands he may change his mind but I can't promise anything." She said with a small smile as Arry nodded.

"Thank you Phillipa, we'll spend the night here and check back with you tomorrow but make sure he knows we understand if he doesn't want to and that if he says no we won't force him." Arry said as Phillipa nodded.

"Oh wait!" Phillipa said quickly running up to Arry and Infinity as they were about to step outside. "Mark was looking for you before Arry."

"Oh not that thing again." Infinity complained. "I thought it wasn't allowed inside the town?"

"What did it want?" Arry asked ignoring Infinity.

"It didn't say, it just said that it was personal and it would only speak to you?" Phillipa shrugged. "It sounded serious though I would go see it before it gets dark."

"Ok we will, thanks again Phillipa." Arry said with a hint of worry in her voice as Phillipa nodded and walked back inside.

"I can't believe that tin can actually came into town! Let alone seeking you out to inform you of some silly nonsense it's made up. Maybe it's finally realized it's not actually a person?" Infinity said shaking his head as the two walked down through the streets back to New Harbour's entrance.

Arry couldn't help but feel a little concerned about what Mark 5-0 might want especially if it came to seek her out specifically.

Reaching the entrance Arry saw Randy standing beside the door and he waved at her as she and Infinity approached him.

"You're back again…" Randy started, "You were never one for the high life were you Infinity?" He continued turning to Infinity who shook his head.

"Is Mark outside?" Arry asked as Randy nodded.

"That things been asking for you for at least 24 hours non-stop!"

"I heard you let it in the town?" Infinity said crossly.

"It was insist and promised it wouldn't be long and I thought that it had been working so hard that I'd do it a favour and let it in." Randy shrugged.

"A favour? You're talking about a machine Randy not a person."

"Could you please open the door for us?" Arry asked starting to get a little impatient at Infinity and his constant complaining about mark 5-0.

"Of course." Randy nodded and quickly opened the door.

Thanking him Arry and Infinity stepped outside where they saw Mark 5-0 doing its normal patrol but when it saw them it instantly hovered over.

"Greetings Arry-Human! It is good to see you again." Mark 5-0 said spinning around in the air happily as Infinity coughed. "Of course it is good to see you again to Infinity-Human."

"Phillipa told me you had something to tell me?" Arry asked.

"Yes of course I have a message for you that I recovered." Mark 5-0 said turning to her.

"How can that stupid thing think it's human when it receives radio messages?" Infinity said under his breath before Mark 5-0 started.

"Message: This is an emergency call from vault A-79 we are….attacked…somehow managed to get inside…called themselves Beach Raiders…trying to hold out behind secondary protective door…need help...need...End Message. I have received messages similar to this one on my radio receiver I carry about with me from many different vaults." Mark 5-0 finished and looked at Arry who looked shocked.

'The Beach Raiders are attacking my home and my family…" She said with horror.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 Welcome Back**

"Mark when did you receive that message?" Arry asked spinning around to look into the distance where the sun was slowly setting.

"This message has been on repeat for nearly 24 hours Arry-Human." Mark 5-0 replied.

"Over 24 hours!" Arry said shaking her head. "We have to get there now and we'll need help." She said looking back towards New Harbour.

"I can be of assistance." Mark 5-0 said quickly turning to Arry as she nodded.

"Maybe we can ask Major to help us?" Arry thought out aloud turning to Infinity.

"I have never known him to leave New Harbour or offer help to anyone outside of it." Infinity said.

"We have to try and ask! If they're attacking the vaults who knows if New Harbour will be next? He'll want to help stop the Beach Raiders." Arry said turning to Mark 5-0. "Mark wait here we'll be right back."

"Acknowledged." Mark 5-0 replied as Arry and Infinity quickly walked back through the door into New Harbour but Arry quickly stopped Randy as he went to close the door.

"We'll be back soon with others." Arry said turning to him.

"You're going out? At night?" Randy said shaking his head. "No one here is going to want to go out when it gets dark."

"Please we'll be back soon I promise." Arry said desperately looking at Randy who nodded with a sigh.

"Just hurry, Major will kill me if he finds this door has been left open for too long." Randy finished as Arry and Infinity quickly ran into the town.

"This way Major's little office is right in the middle of town." Infinity said as the two quickly ran through the emptying streets.

They soon arrived at a rather large hut that had a man standing in front of it with his arms crossed.

'Yes?" The man said looking down at the pair.

"We have to see Major right now." Arry said walking up to him.

"If you don't have a prearranged interview than I can't help you but…" The man was interrupted when Arry angrily stepped forward closer to him.

"Look the Beach Raiders are attacking the vaults which is less than a few hours walk away so you're going to let me in so I can warn Major!" Arry snapped as Infinity looked to her with a surprised expression.

"What she said." He added looking up at the man who thought for a moment before nodding.

"Go on." He said stepping aside as Arry quickly stepped forward and opened the door where she saw Major sitting at a wooden desk at the end of the room.

"Ah yes you again." Major said looking up at Arry and Infinity. "I hope your travels went well." He continued.

"Major the Beach Raiders are attacking the vaults and we need to stop them!" Arry said quickly walking forward.

"The eye-bot out the front has been picking up distress signals from the vaults." Infinity said nodding as he and Arry stood in front of Majors desk.

"I see." Major said calmly thinking to himself. "And what is it exactly you would like me to do?"

"We need help because they're going to be killing people, you need to help me." Arry said looking down at Major who slowly stood up and walked around his desk so he was standing beside her.

"I'm am very sorry but I can't help you. I am here to protect New Harbour and we must ready ourselves for the Beach Raiders if they try to attack us here. Those vaultee's will give us the time we need to prepare." He said solemnly looking down at a furious Arry.

"You're just going to let them die!?" She said loudly.

"The people of New Harbour are my responsibility. I am truly sorry." He said calmly.

"I will help them even if you won't!" Arry said angrily as she spun around and stormed out of the room and back outside with Infinity close behind her.

"Do we even have a plan?" Infinity said as the two quickly walked back towards the entrance.

"To save my family." She said looking up with a worried expression. "I think I may have an idea of how we can distract those Beach Raiders long enough so we can stop them." Arry said as the two walked back over to Randy who had done as she had asked and had left the door open.

"Mark told me what it has been hearing from the vaults. I'm sorry I can't help you but I need to stay here and protect New Harbour if I have to." Randy said looking at Arry who nodded understanding that his family was here.

"Could I ask just one favour?" Arry asked looking at Randy who nodded. "Can we take Mark with us?"

"I don't' know how much help it'll be but I will allow you take it." He said shrugging as Arry thanked him before she and Infinity stepped outside where Mark 5-0 was waiting for them.

"Randy-Human has informed me that I may accompany you." Mark said hovering over beside Arry and Infinity who didn't look too impressed.

"How are you going to be of any help?" Infinity said rolling his eyes as Randy closed the door back into New Harbour behind them.

"Like this Infinity-Human." Mark 5-0 said hovering past Arry and near Infinity where it released a small electric bolt that hit Infinity causing him to jump in surprise.

"You little…" Infinity said angrily staring at Mark 5-0 who said nothing.

"Mark can you keep scanning the area for any hostiles for us until we get to the Killing Fields?" Arry asked turning back to Mark 5-0 who turned to her.

"Of course." Mark 5-0 replied.

"We should get going the sun will be completely gone in less than an hour and it will take us at least a few hours to reach the Killing Fields." Infinity said eyeing Mark 5-0.

"I can confirm that tonight we will be experiencing a waning gibbous moon which will provide enough light for us to see once the sun sets completely." Mark 5-0 said turning back to Arry who nodded as she and Infinity both pulled out their shotguns.

"Let's get going we don't have any time to waste." Arry said with a nod as the three began to walk back towards the Killing Fields.

* * *

The three had been walking for over an hour till it was finally dark and Arry had noticed that as of yet they hadn't run into any feral ghouls or other feral animals at all and it was making her nervous.

"Everyone at New Harbour seemed so frightened of coming out into the city at night but we haven't run into anything for over an hour." Arry said turning to Infinity.

"I wasn't going to mention this…" Infinity said biting his lip before continuing. "But I can smell that something is wrong." He confessed turning to Arry who looked a little confused.

"I don't understand? I can't smell anything?" She asked as all she could smell was rubbish and ruins around her.

"Although I do look human you have to remember that in most other cases I have adapted the same types of enhanced senses that ghouls have and although my eye sight isn't that great thanks to all the radiation I've been exposed to my sense of smell has become heightened."

"Studies have proven that ghouls, even the civilized ones, tend to experience heightened senses but this does not include not their eye-sight which has been recorded as overall quite poor." Mark 5-0 added.

"Thanks for repeating what I just said." Infinity grumbled looking at Mark 5-0 before continuing. "I can smell death in the air and it is very strong and fresh."

Arry suddenly began to feel sick as she tried not to think about what he could mean and what it might mean for her family.

"I didn't want to worry you but I think the reason we haven't run into any feral ghouls is because they are being attracted to this smell and it appears to be coming from the Killing Fields."

"I wish you would have told me about this sooner." Arry said feeling sick as the group continued to walk in the moonlight.

* * *

After what seemed like another hour or two finally the three emerged from the rubble of the outer suburbs of Old Sydney and reached the Killing Fields still without any sign of any feral ghouls or animals.

"Arry-Human I am picking up multiple signals of movement in the killing fields." Mark 5-0 said turning to Arry.

"Are they human or ghoul?" She asked looking at Mark 5-0 who paused for a moment.

"Exact number of each unknown."

"So there are humans and ghouls out here?" Infinity quickly queried looking concerned.

"Affirmative." Mark 5-0 replied.

Arry could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as the three moved into the Killing Fields and towards the small cliffs in the distance where the vaults were located.

As they walked Arry could hear sounds in the distance which seemed to be a mix of howls, screeches and barks and she could feel as though they were being watched despite the fact that she couldn't see anyone around them in the moonlight.

Soon Arry started to smell that horrible sickly smell that Infinity had mentioned and had picked up hours earlier. As she walked she suddenly saw something lying on the ground not far in front of them and as they approached the figure she could see what appeared to be the remains of a person who had been wearing a vault uniform.

"Oh…" Arry said feeling sick as she looked down at the figure starting to understand exactly why there were no feral ghouls in the city.

"The uniform seems to read A-56." Infinity said looking back at Arry who looked a little relieved.

"These people must be trying to escape the Beach Raiders in the vaults and are running right out here only to be killed by the feral dogs and ghouls." Arry said shaking her head.

"I can confirm the presence of a group of ghouls nearby towards the North." Mark 5-0 said as Arry and Infinity quickly looked ahead and saw what seemed to be a group of feral ghouls crouching in the long grass.

Before any of them could say anything one the feral ghouls stood up and Infinity quickly raised his gun and pointed it at the ghoul which seemed to stand there silently for a moment before hissing and slowly couching back down into the grass.

"It seems as though the feral ghouls are content with us walking by as long as we don't try and steal their…" Infinity trailed off as he turned to Arry who tried not to think about the situation in front of her.

"Quick let's just go before they change their mind. According to my pip-boy we don't have far to go until we reach my vault." She said looking down at her pip-boy as Infinity nodded.

The three quickly picked up their pace as they neared the small cliff face and tried to ignore the feral ghouls who often stared at them greedily whilst hiding in the grass but they still seemed to be quiet content with the feast they already had courtesy of the Beach Raiders having invaded other vaults.

Soon enough Arry could see the very door she had walked out from only a few days prior to try and find her brother. She couldn't help but think that only a week earlier she had been living a completely different life inside the vault where she had been safe and ignorant of the world and its horrors.

"I've never been this close to the vaults before." Infinity confessed as Arry slowly pushed the old wooden door open which revealed the small tunnel up towards the vault door which to her horror was open.

"If the vault door is open why aren't the ghouls coming inside to attack?" Arry asked.

"If the Beach Raiders are still inside they'll shoot them on sight so it's easier for them to wait outside and attack any stragglers trying to escape who don't have any weapons." Infinity said quietly.

"I am detecting many human signatures inside the vault but no ghouls." Mark 5-0 added as the group walked through the vault and onto the metal floor of the vault control room.

"How can you tell the difference Mark?" Arry asked turning to it.

"Feral ghouls give off very high levels of radiation and I can detect it in their bodies with my scanner." Mark 5-0 replied as the three walked through the room.

"I forgot how dark and cold this place was." Arry said to herself as she looked around the metal room.

"What are we going to do? They could be anywhere." Infinity whispered turning to Arry who pointed to the open door which lead into the Donald's Overseer office.

Stepping into the room Arry instantly looked over to see the Overseer Riley Donald lying dead on the ground. She looked down at him and sighed knowing that as soon as the Beach Raiders had come inside the vault they must have killed him.

Hearing a creaking sound Arry and Infinity instantly spun around with their weapons drawn as she watched what she thought to be nothing but a wall slowly slide open to reveal Max Donald poking his head out of a hidden room.

"Is that you Arry?" He whispered as Arry lowed her weapon and motioned Infinity to do the same as she approached Max.

"What is this?" Arry said sliding the door further open where she could see the entire Donald family hiding inside a small panic room that had a small screen which appeared to show a live feed of the vault entrance.

"We hid in here after those raiders broke open the door to my father's office." Max said quietly.

"What about everyone else?" Arry said angrily keeping her voice low as Max just shrugged. "You all hid in here like cowards whilst everyone else in the vault had to fend for themselves?!" She said in disbelief shaking her head.

"Arry-Human I am detecting human signatures most of which are coming from the lower levels of this vault." Mark 5-0 said hovering forward causing Max to jump in fright.

"You stay in there whilst I try and help everyone." Arry said in disgust as she stepped back and watched as Max without a second thought instantly slid the hidden doorway closed. "To think I used to be frightened of him when I was a child for bullying me."

"Him?" Infinity said pointing to the hidden doorway as Arry nodded.

"We should get going if they've killed Riley…" Arry said trailing off as she thought about her family. "We're slowly going to work our way down to the bottom levels and pick off any Raiders we find along the way. It's obvious they weren't expecting any trouble since they have no guards watching the entrance so we should be able to find them and save everyone inside who they haven't already killed." She turned to Mark 5-0. "Once we get down to the bottom level I'm going to need you to distract those down in the living quarters whilst we get rid of them so they can't try to and kill anyone down there."

"Of course." Mark 5-0 replied.

"Let's get going…follow me." Arry said as Infinity nodded and they quietly walked out of the Overseer's office.

"Readings indicate no humans on this level but on the next level I am detecting activity." Mark 5-0 said loudly.

"Does this thing have any other volumes other than extremely loud?" Infinity hissed. "Don't say anything unless we ask you alright?" He continued looking at Mark 5-0.

"Affirmative Infinity-Human."

Quietly the three walked into the hallway and as they started to walk towards the stairs at the end of the level Arry could see as she looked into the different rooms that the Beach Raiders had not only been ransacking every single room but it appeared as though if anyone had resisted they had simply been killed where there stood. Arry felt sick inside knowing that at any moment she could possibly run into the body of one of her family.

Reaching the stairs Arry could hear sounds of shuffling and her and Infinity slowly crept down the stairs where they were met with another long hallway where the noises were coming from one of the rooms. The two slowly walked forward and Arry looked through the large window where she could see a man wearing tatty old clothes and what appeared to be a feral dog skin sash shuffling through a cabinet throwing thing out all over the floor.

Arry watched as Infinity slowly walked into the room and just as the Raider turned around Infinity fired before he even had a chance of picking up the pistol the Raider had left on the ground whilst he had been searching.

"I know for a fact these levels are separated by very thick metal slabs and so I doubt anyone below would have heard." Arry said looking down the hall but saw no one.

"It looks as though they're just stocking up on hard to come by goods." Infinity said looking down at the big black plastic bag which was full of food and medical items.

"Let's keep going, Mark is there anyone else on this level?"

"No, but human signatures are detected on the level below this." Mark 5-0 replied hovering over to her.

"We better hurry." Infinity said as he quickly walked out of the room as the three continued down the hall.

As they walked down to the next level they heard two raiders speaking in a nearby room and the quietly waited just outside the room where Arry could overhear them speaking.

"This was the Governors best idea yet! These places are filled with great stuff!" One of the men said happily.

"Yeah we shouldn't even bother with New Harbour if we can just keep getting into these vaults all the time." The other replied.

"As long as that little idiot keeps getting us inside the vaults we should just keep doing this, I mean they don't even have any weapons in here." The man laughed.

"What a coward that guy is! All you have to do is just threaten him a little and he'll tell you anything to save his own skin and that horrible cheap suit." The other replied as Arry turned to look at Infinity who frowned before standing up and walking into the room.

"Who the…" One of the men started but didn't get to finish as the two were shot by Infinity and instantly fell to the floor.

"Were they talking about Hustler?" Arry said in shock turning to Infinity who nodded.

"It seems that little sneak is getting the Beach Raiders into the vaults in order to save his own skin." Infinity said shaking his head. "As long as they have him they're going to keep getting inside vaults that have let him in thinking he was a government official." Arry clenched her fists angrily but she quickly calmed down knowing that they had a bigger problems to deal with like the groups of people downstairs that she assumed were being held hostage by the Raiders as they looted the entire vault.

"Let's keep going only a few more levels to go." Arry said as the group walked back out into the hall.

The next few levels the group encountered only a few Raiders who didn't put up much of a fight because they were so busy looting that they hadn't expected anyone to sneak up behind them.

"Ok Mark this is where I need your help." Arry said turning to him as they reached the staircase that lead down to very last level which included the generator room and the dormitories for all the families.

"I will be of as much assistance as I can." Mark 5-0 replied.

"I need you to go downstairs and distract the men that are guarding the people who are locked down in their dormitories whist Infinity and I come in a pick them off before they have a chance to try and take hostages."

"Understood." Mark 5-0 replied before hovering off down the stairs.

As the two waited quietly Infinity quickly turned to Arry who was still thinking about all the people downstairs who had been left to die by the Donald's who were supposed to look after them.

"You had no weapons in the vaults?" Infinity asked turning to her as she nodded.

"Unless the Overseer had his own little collection stored away any security we had in here only carried tasers but I never recall a time when they ever had to be used." She thought back to her childhood and had to admit she had never once seen any kind of serious disturbance in the vault. There had arguments and disagreements of course but never any physicals fights. The Donald's had always made it very clear that if anyone disobeyed the rules there would be dire consequences.

"Where did this thing come from?" Arry heard a man downstairs say out aloud.

"Must have flown in through the open vault door." Another man replied. "Should we shoot it?"

"Don't be an idiot this might be worth a nice sum on the black market so listen you and I will keep it…" The man continued as Infinity and Arry slowly started to walk down the stairs where both men were talking to Mark 5-0 and had their back to the stairs.

Mark 5-0 saw behind the men that Arry and Infinity had come down the stairs and quickly hovered to the side where Infinity took his chance and shot one of the men who fell to the floor as the other jumped around in shock dropping the knife he was carrying.

"Arry-Human there are other human signatures inside the rooms." Mark 5-0 said as it slowly hovered back over to Arry and Infinity who were staring at the lone Raider.

"What are you doing here?" Arry said angrily staring at the man.

"Taking what we deserve!" The man spat.

"By murdering people?" Infinty said shaking his head in disgust.

"Only those who caused trouble…" The man grinned but didn't get to finish as Arry interrupted him.

"Where are they? Where are all the people?" She hissed.

"Locked them all up in their stupid little cages…we were just going to leave them in there to die since most of us have already left and taken the good stuff. Guess I'm the last one left." The man shrugged as Arry could feel her anger rising.

"I swear if you've hurt anyone in my family…" Arry said quickly as the man just laughed at her.

"Or what princess? You're going to give me a good talking to?" The man laughed loudly.

"Get inside that room you were just looting." Arry said pointing to the door of an empty looted room that she could see through the large window was empty.

"Yeah and why should…ow!" The man said as Mark 5-0 zapped him causing him to jump in surprise.

"You can either get in there now with or without your head, I'll give you a few seconds to consider the options." Infinity said angrily as the man pulled a face and walked into the room where Arry quickly ran up to the door and slammed it shut before shooting off the lock trapping the man inside.

"We should have just killed him." Infinity said staring through the large window at the man who looked quite smug.

"We will but first I have to check on my family…" Arry said looking down the corridor to the room at the end which used to be her home. "All the doors should be able to unlocked easily from the outside so I need you and Mark to let everyone out." Infinity nodded as Arry spun around and ran down the corridor towards her families room.

Reaching the door she took a deep breath before slowly pushing the door that was surprisingly unlocked open. Looking inside she could see her mother standing at the end of the room alone. She was so happy to see that she was alright that Arry walked straight in and over to her.

"No sweetheart don't!" Arry's mother yelled as she leapt forward pushing Arry out of the way as the sound of a gunshot shattered the silence as Arry turned around horrified to see a raider standing in the closest next to the door where he had been hiding.

The man went to raise his gun again but before he had a chance Infinity ran into the room and instantly shot the man sending him crashing to the ground. Arry looked down at the man before realizing that he had missed her and as she spun around to see her mother she saw blood slowly staining her mothers white blouse.

"Mum…" Arry cried as she quickly helped her mother sit down against the wall. "No..no…" Arry said shaking her head in desperation. "You will be fine I can fix this you'll be alright mum I promise…I promise…" Arry said as tears slid down her face as her mother slowly took Arry's hand and held it tight.

"Shh it's alright dear." Her mother said with a small smile. "I'm…I'm so glad you're safe, I've been so worried…."

"Mum Paul he's safe to he made it New Sydney and he's sorry and I'm so sorry to." Arry said looking at her mother her slowly raised her hand and pushed some hair out of her daughters face and tucked it behind Arry's ear.

"My beautiful daughter…so grown up and saving her family, look after them for me." Her mother said as Arry tearfully nodded and held her mother's hand tight.

"I'm so sorry…" Arry said shaking her head as she felt her mother's hand go limp. "Mum?" Arry said softly looking her at her mother as she gently closed her eyes.

"Arry I'm so sorry." Infinity said walking over to Arry and putting his hand on her shoulder as she gently put her mother's hand down and stood up.

"She's gone Infinity and it's my fault…it's all my fault" Arry said as more tears slid down her face and Infinity stepped forward and the two hugged.

Hearing a soft knocking noise Arry looked over to the door to the bedrooms and knew that her brothers and sisters must be locked inside.

"Are you alright to do this?" Infinity asked looking down at Arry as she quickly nodded and wiped away any tears from her face, she had to be strong for them.

Taking a deep breath Arry walked over and opened the door where she could see Miles standing up beside the door and her two sisters Mavis and Lily and her younger brother Andy sitting on the beds. Taking a deep breath Arry stepped into the room.

* * *

A few hours later when all the people had been freed from their vaults and the lone Raider has been taken care of by the vaults remaining security Arry was sitting alone in her bedroom. Her younger brother and sisters had been devastated by the death of their mother and their faces when she told them what had happened was something that she would never forget.

Hearing a knock on the door she looked up to see Miles standing there.

"Mind if I come in?" He asked as Arry shook her head and her brother walked over and sat down beside her on the bed.

"We're getting ready to close the vault door again, you're friend Infinity and a few other men are guarding the door…"

"Why haven't you closed it yet?" Arry asked looking up at him.

"Your strange friend told me everything whilst we were letting out those cowardly Donald's. I'm glad to hear that our brother Paul is safe…and I can only assume that after what I've been told you're not going to be staying with us."

"I owe it to Mum and everyone here to make sure those Beach Raiders don't get into any more vaults." She frowned before looking saddened up at her brother and holding back her tears. "It was my fault she died Miles…it was my fault for being so...stupid." She sighed put her head into her hands.

"It was not your fault Arry and I know Mum would feel the exactly same way. She would have done anything protect you or any of us…"

"How are Mavis, Lily and Andy?" Arry sighed thinking of her younger siblings.

"They're very upset especially Andy but we'll be there for him." Miles paused. "We don't have much left here after those Beach Raiders attacked us but we have packed a bag for both you and your friend with as much as we could spare."

"I wish I could stay Miles but we have to stop them from getting into any more vaults and from potentially coming back in here." Arry sighed as the two stood up.

"I understand sister and we will be waiting eagerly for your return when we can all go to New Sydney together in the future." Miles stopped when he heard the door to the dormitory room open. "It looks as though Mavis, Lily and Andy are here to say their goodbyes before you go." Miles said with a smile.

"I don't know if I can face them again after everything that's happened." Arry said feeling sick.

"They're your family Arry and all they want is to see the woman who saved them, they want to see their sister." Miles said taking his sisters hand as the two walked into the next room.

* * *

After Arry had said her final goodbyes to her siblings her and Miles walked back to the Overseer's office where Max was waiting inside.

"What do you want?" Arry said angrily at him.

"He's my new assistant." Miles said stepping forward and looking at Max who nodded.

'I don't understand?" Arry asked.

"Since the Overseer has been killed and no one else in the Donald family is willing to take the reign's those who have survived have elected that for the time being until New Sydney is finished I will be the new Overseer." Miles said proudly.

"I know you'll do a fantastic job." Arry smiled up at her brother as Infinity walked into the room.

"If we're going to go we need to go now, the sun is starting to rise which means any Beach Raiders in this area will be here soon when their friends don't report back."

"Your friend is right, you better get going…" Miles quickly picked up two small backpacks on the table and handed one to Arry and one to Infinity. "For the journey."

"Thank you Miles." Arry said as her and Miles hugged.

"No Arry thank you and your friend…we will be eagerly awaiting your return and we promise to not open that door for anyone other than you." Miles said seriously as Arry nodded.

"Oh just one thing before we leave." Infinity said quickly walking forward.

"Of course?" Miles said puzzled as Infinity nodded happily and walked over to Max and punched him causing him to fall back onto the floor with a bloody nose.

"Ok let's go." Infinity said spinning around with a grin and walking back towards the door that led into the vault room.

'Goodbye Miles." Arry said turning to her brother.

"Good bye sister, you'll always be welcome never forget that." He said as the two exchanged one last look before Arry walked into the room where she saw Infinity and Mark 5-0 waiting beside the vault door.

She quickly walked over to them and stepped outside of the vault and as soon as the three were outside Miles activated the door and it very slowly closed behind them.

"What are we going to do now?" Infinity asked looking to Arry who frowned.

"We're going to find Hustler and kill him for what he's done." Arry said angrily and began to walk towards the exit through the tunnel.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 Surprise Meeting**

Infinity looked after Arry for a moment before quickly running after her.

"You're going to kill him?" Infinity said shaking his head.

"You've seen how many people have died because of him! He deserves to pay for it." Arry said angrily not turning around.

"So what? You're just going to try and sneak into one of the most dangerous places in Australia just so you can get revenge?" Arry nodded without turning around. "That doesn't sound like you at all."

The group walked through the door into the Killing Fields where it was immediately clear that the feral ghouls had retreated from the daylight back into the city for the day and would most likely return again at night.

Arry started to walk into the fields back towards the city when Infinity quickly caught up to her.

"Can you just listen to me for a moment?" Infinity said running up beside Arry who refused to stop.

"Look at all these people he's killed." Arry said looking around her at the remains of all the people from other vaults who had tried to escape during the night only to have run into the feral ghouls and dogs and be killed. "He deserves to die." She said clenching her fists as Infinity quickly grabbed her hand causing her stop in her tracks.

"You don't mean that, I know you don't mean that." He said looking at her as she turned to him and sighed.

"Someone has to pay for all of this…someone has to…" Arry said sadly shaking her head.

"Someone will but that is no reason to charge off into Beach Raider territory and get yourself killed for a man who may or may not be responsible for this."

"You heard those men talking it was because of Hustler that they managed to get into the vaults in the first place. I understand he may be a friend of yours but…"

"Firstly we are not friends and secondly I still think he is a little sneak but that is no reason for us to just kill him without hearing what he has to say."

"The probability of accessing Beach Raider territory undetected is very low Arry-Human. Only one human has ever escaped and no one has been recorded as entering the territory and leaving alive."

"I remember Major telling me back at New Harbour about that man." Arry nodded thinking back to her conversation with Major. "Is the person who escaped still at New Harbour Mark?"

"Unknown." Mark 5-0 replied.

"What do you mean unknown?" Infinity said crossing his arms.

"After the man arrived and had a check-up from Dr North I was told the man then left New Harbour."

"To New Sydney maybe?" Arry asked curiously.

"Unknown." Mark 5-0 said.

"Maybe we should check with Randy and Frank to see whether or not the man left New Harbour and see where he was going." Arry said thinking aloud as Infinity nodded.

"Good it will give us some time to think about our next step."

"Yes it'll give us time to think of how we're going to get into Beach Raider territory and find Hustler." Arry said with a frown as the group started to make their way back towards New Harbour.

"I'm still a little surprised we haven't run into ghouls this morning." Arry said as the group walked through the ruins of Old Sydney.

"I'm not! They must be so stuffed from last nights feeding frenzy that I'd be surprised if half of them could even move." Infinity said with a laugh but quickly stopped when Arry gave him a serious look not thinking the situation was very funny at all.

When they reached New Harbour Mark 5-0 quickly let Randy know that they were there and he opened the door for them.

"Return to your normal duties Mark." Randy said turning to Mark 5-0 who started his regular routine in front of New Harbour. "I know it is not my place to ask but what happened?" He continued turning to Arry who looked a little saddened.

"The Beach Raiders managed to get inside some of the vaults and killed a lot of people." Arry said in a soft voice.

"They got into the vaults?" Randy said shocked. "How did they manage that?"

"Hustler." Infinity said shaking his head.

"That worthless trader? I always knew he was a coward." Randy sneered.

"Don't worry he's going to pay." Arry frowned angrily. "That's why we need your help."

"Anything." Randy nodded.

"We're looking for the man who managed to escape from Beach Raider territory so he can give us an idea of what it's like inside." Arry continued as she watched Randy think for a moment.

"That was a few months ago now…" Randy said thinking to himself. "I heard he'd left not long ago and was heading up towards New Sydney because he wanted to be as far away from here as possible. If I were you I'd talk to Frank he'll probably know more about the guy and where he was heading."

"Thanks Randy well do that." Arry said with a smile as she and Infinity began to walk through the town towards the Harbour end where Frank usually resided.

"Not to state the obvious here but wouldn't it be easier to talk to Major about this?" Infinity asked as the two walked.

"I don't really want to speak to him at the moment…" Arry said with a frown.

Once they arrived to the Harbour end of the town they saw Frank sitting beside his small dingy boat fiddling with some old fishing line that had become tangled in the boats small propellers.

"You two again?" He said not looking up at the pair. "I am getting sick of you two always bothering me." He grumbled.

"I can see you're being run off your feet with work." Infinity said sarcastically looking down at Frank who turned to look up at him.

"Last time I brought you two across I got this damned fishing string caught in my boat! I've spent all day trying to remove it. I'll be sure to charge you a fortune next time you want my boat." He said returning to try and untangle the string.

"We're here to ask you about that man who escaped from the Beach Raiders a few months ago." Arry started as Frank instantly stopped what he was doing and stood up shaking his head.

"No, no, no I know nothing." He said quickly.

"But Randy told us the man had come through here on his way to New Sydney?" Arry asked a little confused as to whether or not Randy had lied to them.

"Oh yes, that's right I remember." Frank quickly nodded. "Man came through here, went to New Sydney, he's gone now."

"What did he look like?" Infinity asked suspiciously as Arry noticed Frank starting to look a little nervous.

"Don't remember, old, black hair maybe. Look I don't take notice of people and how they look." Frank said shrugging and crossing his arms. "Look I'm busy alright so unless you want something else go away!"

"But…" Arry started but Infinity quickly stopped her.

"Alright there Frank calm down we're going." Infinity said and watched as Frank quickly sat back down beside his boat again as Infinity and Arry walked away. "He's obviously lying." Infinity continued.

"But why?" Arry said thinking to herself. "If the man didn't leave through the front entrance past Randy and he didn't leave by going across the Harbour with Frank…"

"That means he must still be here." Infinity finished.

"I still don't understand why if the man is still living here in New Harbour is it a secret to Randy and most likely everyone else here to?" Arry knew this meant that they would have to go and talk to Major but before she had a chance to say anything else she saw Randy running up towards them.

"Arry." Randy puffed as he caught his breath.

"Randy what are you doing here? Who's on the front door?" Infinity asked.

"There is someone out the front who is looking for you." Randy said still catching his breath.

"Who is it" Arry asked wondering who it could be especially since Miles had promised to keep the vault door closed which meant no one from there would be coming to find her.

"I had to come tell you myself because…" Randy started before speaking in a quiet whisper. "They claim to be someone from the Beach Raiders." He said as both Arry and Infinity looked shocked.

"Why aren't you telling Major about this!?" Infinity said accusingly.

"I thought you would have known me better than to ever put the lives of people here in danger." Randy frowned looking up at Infinity. "Mark has told me it is a single woman with a small white flag. He assured me there is no one else around and that she appears to be unarmed." He said in a low voice. "She knew your name Arry and wants to speak with you and then she says she will leave. If I tell Major he'll have her killed on the spot despite the fact she is unarmed." Randy said eyeing Infinity.

"Alright I understand." Infintiy said nodding.

"I guess I'll have to accept that apology." Randy said with a grumble before turning back to Arry. "You have to hurry before anyone else sees her and she gets herself killed."

Arry had honestly no idea why someone from the Beach Raiders after what they had just done to her family and many other families located in vaults across the entire area would want to see her. Wouldn't they assume that if they knew who she was they'd know she hated them and would want revenge?

"Ok let's go then." Arry said nodding reluctantly knowing that she had to find out what this lady and the Raiders wanted with her and how they knew who she was.

The group quickly ran back through the town till they reached the front of New Harbour where Randy quickly caught his breath before slowly opening the door.

"I remember when you used to be able to run a mile without a second thought." Infinity grinned looking down at an exhausted Randy.

"I am sorry but I will have to close the door once you are outside to protect the town." Randy said ignoring Infinity and looking at Arry who nodded completely understanding what he meant.

Once the door was fully open Infinity quickly took out his shotgun as the two stepped outside where they could see a woman being guarded by Mark 5-0. Stepping outside Arry watched the door close right behind them as they walked over to the woman.

The woman looked as though she was in her late 30's, had long black hair and was wearing long brown pants and a dark brown jacket which appeared to have some type of symbol painted onto the front it and she had a feral dog skin hanging over her shoulder and body as a sash.

"Arry-Human this woman calls herself Beau-Human." Mark 5-0 said turning to Infinity and Arry as they approached.

"What do you want?" Arry asked looking at the woman who put her small white flag into her pocket. "After everything you have done in the past few days I'm surprised you're here."

"Good morning Arry and Infinity." Beau started. "I come with a message from our leader the Governor of the Beaches and true leader of Old Sydney Governor Alpha Ryder."

"That's a name I'll remember." Infinity said rolling his eyes.

"He offers his hand of friendship to you Arry and wishes to speak with you personally at his home at the Beaches."

"You're joking!" Infinity said angrily. "There is no way we're just going to walk into an obvious trap!"

"How does he know my name? And what does he want with me?" Arry asked.

"Our leader wishes only to speak with you and has not given me any details on the matter he wishes to discuss." Beau replied.

"I don't think we can trust your leader after everything he has done." Arry said with a frown.

"Our leader is a man of his word Arry and he says that you will not be harmed and that once he has spoken to you, you will be free to leave."

"How do we know that you're not lying to us?" Infinity said watching Beau as she put her hand into her pocket and pulled out a small dirty piece of paper before holding it out where Arry quickly took it and unraveled it.

"What does it say?" Infinity asked not taking his eyes off Beau.

"Ryder declares that I will not be harmed in this visit and from what I see he appears to have signed to it."

"Does it say what he wants?"

"He just says he wishes to discuss an important matter and that it can only be discussed in person." Arry said folding up the piece of paper and thinking to herself. "Are you here to escort us?"

"If you wish to come with me now than I will." Beau said with a nod.

"You can't be seriously thinking about this?" Infinity said turning to Arry who motioned him a few steps away from Beau and Mark 5-0.

"I don't trust the Beach Raiders after what they have done but I need to know why and how this Ryder knows who I am and find out what he wants." She paused for a moment. "By going we'll also hopefully be able to find Hustler."

"Can we just forget about him for a moment?" Infinity said quickly. "You can't let this decision be dictated on the fact that you might have a chance to find Hustler in there and get whatever revenge you think you're going to do to him when you find him!"

Arry thought to herself and knew that although she did want to find Hustler that she also did want to find out what they wanted with her.

"I understand this may seem partly due to me wanting to find Hustler…" Arry started looking up at Infinity who nodded. "But I also need to find out how they know who I am and what they want. That is the main reason I think I should go. Ryder took a huge risk sending Beau here to find me and I doubt he'd do that for something that wasn't worth both our time." She looked up at Infinity who still didn't look too convinced. "I am prepared to go alone just in case…"

"Wow you're not getting me out of this that easily!" Infinity said quickly. "I still don't believe this is anything more than you wanting to find Hustler but I have to admit that you are right in that I don't think Ryder would take such a huge risk to start a small war with New Harbour right now and get Beau here killed if this wasn't something important." He sighed. "I know this is something I am going to regret." He added as Arry turned back around and walked over to Beau.

"I'm going to accept your leaders offer of a meeting as long as I can bring my friend with me." She said looking back at Infinity.

"Of course this will be of no problem and was expected." Beau said with a nod. "Are you ready to depart?"

"What about me Arry-Human?" Mark 5-0 said quickly hovering over to Arry.

"Mark I need you to stay here. If you leave to and Major gets suspicious of why he may interrogate Randy and he could get into a lot of trouble if it's found out he's hidden the arrival of a Beach Raider." Arry said turning to Mark 5-0.

"I will wait here and return to normal duties." Mark 5-0 said quickly as he hovered back closer to New Harbour's wall and began his regular route.

"We're ready." Arry said turning to Beau who nodded.

"Follow me." Beau said as she, Arry and Infinity began to trek east towards the beaches and Beach Raider territory.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 Deals**

"I haven't been to the beach in over 50 years." Infinity said as he Arry and Beau walked east through the streets of Old Sydney.

"What did it used to be like?" Arry asked as Infinity thought for a moment.

"Lots of people liked to live beside the beach before the bombs dropped and after they dropped that didn't' change and a small town popped up there for a little while. At its peak I think at least 50 people used to live there."

"What happened to them?" Arry asked curiously as Infinity looked to Beau.

"After the Beach Raiders arrived I don't know what happened." He said looking at Beau and crossing his arms.

"You have nothing to worry about for those people who lived there became members of the Beach Raiders under our new leader." Beau replied looking back at the two.

"They all choose to become murderers did they?" Infinity sneered but Beau remained quiet and said nothing.

"We should be entering our territory within the hour." Beau said calmly as Arry nodded.

* * *

The group continued to walk for at least another hour until Arry could finally begin to smell the salty ocean again and its cool sea breeze started to flow down the empty streets.

It was now that the larger buildings in the city began to fade away to a more residential type area and where Arry saw her first hint that they were entering a claimed territory, a large spray painted sign that read, "Beach Raider territory, go back!"

Taking her chance to speak with Beau Arry quickly walked up beside her as they walked past the sign.

"Your leader took a huge risk sending you to New Harbour on your own." Arry said looking at Beau who didn't seem very concerned.

"I trust his judgment." Beau replied calmly.

"Does everyone in the Beach Raiders follow him like you do?"

"We all believe that our leader wants what's best for us and for all the people living in this country." She paused and thought for a moment. "He will help us create a new fair world and those who stand against him will be removed from it." She said eyeing Arry who frowned a little but kept calm.

"So Beau right?" Infinity said quickly walking up to the pair as Beau turned to him. "That's a very strange name for a woman." Arry gave him an annoyed look at the question but said nothing.

"The Beach Raiders are strong warriors and we have declared to do away with soft sounding feminine names and so all who are born or are accepted into our clan adopt a new name that represents strength, power and masculinity."

"Was this a decision your leader made?" Arry queried as Beau nodded.

Before any of them had a chance to say anything else Arry suddenly noticed that in the not too far distance she could see a huge makeshift wall that extended both north and south into the distance. The wall was at least 9 foot high and was made mostly of concrete blocks and metal panels.

As they neared the wall Arry could soon spot at least 3 or 4 people standing on top of the wall looking down at the three all with guns drawn. Starting to feel a little nervous Arry took a deep breath hoping that the promise of safety the leader had given her was true and that they weren't simply going to be killed on the spot.

When they reached the base of the wall beside what appeared to be a door Arry watched as Beau looked up at two men standing on top of the wall looking down at them.

"Our leader's guest has arrived!" Beau yelled up at the men who nodded. "Our home is a no-gun zone." Beau continued turning around to face Arry and Infinity.

"What about there's?" Infinity said looking up at the men on the wall each of whom were carrying a shotgun.

"Our border guards carry weapons to defend against intruders, ghouls and wild animals that is all." Beau continued in her calm voice as she turned to Arry.

"Will we get them back when we leave?" Arry asked.

"If we leave…" Infinity mumbled under his breath.

"Of course you will, you will leave with whatever you have brought here with you." Beau nodded and held out her hand as Arry sighed and nodded before taking off her bag and handing it to Beau who then turned to Infinity who grumbled a little bit before reluctantly handing over his bag and shotgun. "Thank you for your understanding, you may now enter."

Arry watched as Beau turned around and made a hand signal to the two men upstairs as they called out something and slowly the door in the large wall opened.

"Please follow me our leader will be anxious to meet with you as soon as possible." Beau said turning around and stepping through the door.

Feeling a little nervous from imagining what types of horrors this horrible place was filled with she slowly followed in after Beau into Beach Raider territory.

Stepping through the doorway Arry was instantly surprised by what she saw, it was nothing like she had imagined the home of murderers, hunters and killers would be like. In front of Arry was a large completely clear walkway that was at least 30 meters wide that led directly into the distance for about 300 metres till it met with the ocean. On either side of this long walkway to the beach there were makeshift houses and huts just like what she had seen in New Harbour.

Arry turned around and looked up at the wall to see a small walkway behind it where the two men that had been watching them looked down at them but they no longer had their guns drawn and they didn't look as threatening as they had before.

"Please let us hurry, our leaders day residence is on the beach." Beau said motioning Arry and Infinity down the walkway towards the beach.

Walking down the pathway Arry had a better chance to see the small houses and huts that were on either side of the walkway and she began to notice the Beach Raider residents going about their daily business. She had expected to see a camp full of hardened tough warriors but what she could see was the complete opposite because she could see families on the streets and children playing with each other just like a normal town. How could these people, the ones who had murdered people in the vaults including Arry's mother and have such a vicious representation seem to look and act so normal and non-threatening?

"Ever seen the beach before?" Infinity said looking down at Arry who snapped out of her gaze at looking at the town and turned around to see directly in front of her a golden beach with the calm blue ocean in front of her gently rolling waves to the shore. She looked down at the ground and noticed for the first time that she was standing not on solid ground anymore but was standing on a sandy beach. Taking in a deep breath Arry also noticed that compared to the air further inland this air seemed to be so much fresher and there was a constant cool breeze.

"This is…amazing." Arry said in shock never in her life believing that a place in this post-apocalyptic world could look so beautiful and untouched.

"Please we must continue." Beau said urgently motioning Arry further down the beach towards a large black tent.

Nodding and once again snapping out of her daze she quickly followed after Infinity and Beau. Shaking her head Arry had to remember why she was here and who these people really were, they were murders, right?

As the group walked up to the large black tent Arry could see three guards each with a huge feral looking dog guarding the front entrance to the tent.

"It's very rare to see any trained feral dogs." Infinity said sounding a little impressed as he looked down at the three huge black dogs who watched him and Arry very carefully.

"We pride ourselves on breeding these amazing animals." One of the guards said patting one of the huge dogs on the head.

"Is the leader ready to see our guest?" Beau asked one of the guards who nodded.

"Yes he has been alerted to your presence and will see you now…but he will only see you alone." A guard said looking from Arry to Infinity.

"Now wait a minute…" Infinity said angrily as Arry quickly stopped him.

"Is there no way my friend can come with me?" Arry asked and watched as the guard shook his head.

"Only your presence is wanted." The guard replied as Arry thought to herself before nodding she didn't' want to upset any of the Beach Raiders just in case they grew angry and wouldn't' allow both her and Infinity to leave. It was risk she couldn't take so she had to do what she was told.

"I'll be fine I promise." Arry said quickly and turned around to Infinity who didn't look too happy.

"We will allow you to wait out here if you wish." Beau said.

"Alright fine but I'll be waiting right out here." Infinity said crossing his arms as Beau just nodded.

"I'll be back soon." Arry said starting to feel a little nervous as she watched one of the guards push the door into the tent open as Arry slowly took a step inside.

Once she was inside she noticed a wall inside that stretched up to the top of the tent and another makeshift door with another guard standing in front of it.

"Please go in." The man said opening the door as Arry stepped forward and quickly walked through it.

Once she was inside the main room of the large tent she saw a man sitting down at a long wooden desk which was covered in all sorts of old world artifacts such as old radios, small television sets, old toys and clocks. Arry had been expecting the leader of the Beach Raiders to be a very gruff old man but the man she saw in front of her was a middle aged man who was cleanly shaven who had thick dark grey hair and looked just like a typical gentlemen. When he looked up to see Arry the the Ryder quickly stood up.

"Welcome! Arry please come and sit down." Ryder said motioning Arry forward to a chair in front of his desk that she slowly walked over and sat down in.

"I got a message that you wanted to see me Governor?" Arry asked trying to hide the nervousness she was feeling.

"Please call me Ryder!" He smiled. "Governor is just a title I gave myself although I do like it I have to admit it does get tiring hearing it all the time." He said shaking his head. "So how was the trip? Did Beau treat you well? The guards didn't frighten you did they? I suppose you have a million questions I mean you are the first person from the vaults I've ever allowed in my territory." Arry was completely put off by how casual he seemed to be considering who he was and what he was doing to people.

"I heard about what happened to last man who tried to escape from here." Arry said frowning slightly.

"Oh my please don't believe those horrible rumors you hear!" Ryder sighed shaking his head. "That man attacked my home and my people! He deserved what he got…"

"Just like those people in the vaults!" Arry said angrily without thinking and instantly regretted the outburst realizing that she had wanted to try and be as calm and collected as possible and had already failed and to the leader of the Beach Raiders no less.

"My dear please accept my apology over what happened to your mother at the vaults…I do so hate it when civilians are injured. My men are given strict orders to only attack in defense so only those who rebel are hurt…but your mother's death was clearly an accident so please accept my apology." He said with a sigh.

"How did you know my mother was killed?" Arry asked confused.

"I have my spies everywhere because I must be kept informed of the goings on in my land at all times." He said calmly.

"You said you wanted to see me?" Arry said changing the subject knowing that she didn't' want to push her luck any further and wanted to get to business straight away so she and Infinity could leave.

"Oh of course forgive me for my babbling I do talk too much." Riley said with a laugh before standing up. "Now I need a favour from you." He said turning to Arry who looked confused, what could he possibly want with her? She thought to herself and watched as he paced slightly behind his desk. "I need you to deliver two warnings for me."

"Warnings?" Arry asked.

"Yes I need you to give that man in charge of New Harbour and that woman in charge of New Sydney a warning. I need you to tell them that they are to either to join me and hand over all their territory and resources and acknowledge my leadership or they will be destroyed." He said calmly.

"Is that all?" Arry said in shock wondering why he couldn't have just gotten someone else to deliver his messages.

"You're probably wondering why I chose you for this task." He said looking at Arry who nodded. "There are two reasons I chose you, the first reason is because I know for a fact that Major will listen to you and your friend and due to your families working relationship with the Matriarch on the Dam at New Sydney she too will listen to you and take your warning seriously. The second reason is because if I send any of my people to deliver these warnings I know both Major and Matriarch will not allow them to leave their towns and will most likely kill them without even hearing my warning. Despite the rumors you may have heard about me I am not a mindless murderer and would rather not have my men captured and killed."

"How do you know my family works for the Matriarch on the dam?" Arry asked as Ryder just grinned.

"I know more than you think I do Arry, I know about your real brother and real father in New Sydney and your ghoul friend outside but alas my spies cannot take all the credit for this knowledge of you and your history." He said clicking his fingers as Arry glanced around to see the door into the room open again and she watched as a guard pushed someone inside so hard that they fell to the ground. "An old friend of yours?" Ryder said as Arry looked down at man only to realize it was Hustler who sat up and looked at her.

"You." Arry said angrily glaring down at Hustler who looked very beaten up with bruises and bloodstains over his face.

"Told me all about you Vaultee, as well as how to get inside the vaults. Now I didn't just bring him here for a show and tell he's here because he is my bargaining chip."

"I'm listening…" Arry said in a low voice as she stood up.

"You deliver these messages for me because I know that like me you're a person of your word and will want to warn your friends and family about my forthcoming and in return for doing me a favor I will return it and put this man and his fate in your hands."

"You're saying that I can take him?" Arry said turning back around to look at Ryder who nodded. "Don't you…" Arry started trying to think of why Ryder would give away his ticket into the vaults.

"He is of no more use to me anymore." Ryder said shaking his head. "I was just going to kill him if you had not come here to meet with me but that doesn't mean you can't do it instead." Ryder said with a wicked smile as he pulled out a small pistol from one of his desk drawers and threw it on the table in front of where Arry stood.

Looking down at the pistol on the table Arry slowly picked it up and looked at it in her hands and she could feel the anger boiling inside her that it was because of Hustler that her mother had died and that so many others had died in the vaults. She had come here to find Hustler and seek revenge but now that she was being given the opportunity she didn't know what to do, could she really just kill him like this? She turned to look at Hustler who was looking up at her through his black eyes with a look of fear and panic.

"I…I can't." Arry said looking at Hustler who sighed in relief as Arry shook her head and quickly put the gun back down on the desk. "I can't do it, Infinity was right I'm not like that…" She sighed turning back to Ryder who looked a little disappointed.

"Can't say I'm not disappointed but he is yours now and you can do what you like with him." Ryder shrugged picking up the gun and throwing it back into his desk drawer. "Now you have my permission to leave to deliver my warnings and make sure they understand that I am not joking and that those who oppose me will be killed when the time comes." He finished in serious tone as he sat back down at his desk.

"How will you know if I have delivered the messages?" Arry asked.

"I will know trust me and oh just one thing before you leave…" Riley said looking up. "This was a onetime visit and you will not be allowed back into my territory again without consequences."

"I understand." Arry said as she turned around watching as Hustler stood up beside her and the two walked out of the room into the previous small room before walking outside of the tent.

"Arry…oh you found him." Infinity said quickly looking past Arry at Hustler who said nothing. "Did you do that?" He asked pointing to Hustler as Arry shook her head.

"I am sorry but you must now leave please follow me." Beau said walking up to the group.

"He's coming with us?" Infinity said turning to Arry who nodded.

"His life has been put in my hands but I can explain later." Arry urged wanting to leave as soon as possible and get back to New Harbour and away from here.

Beau led the three back to the entrance where both Arry and Infinity were given back their bags.

"Goodbye." Beau said as Arry, Hustler and Infinity stepped back outside through the door in the wall before Beau closed it behind them.

"Quick let's get out of this place." Arry said as the three quickly began to walk away from the wall back into Old Sydney and away from the beaches.

Once they were back inside the city ruins Infinity turned to Hustler.

"Looks like someone got exactly what they deserved." Infinity sneered.

"I had no choice." Hustler said as the group stopped walking. "They captured me, stole all my stuff and threatened to kill me unless I could be of some use to them."

"That is no reason to be a little coward! Do you have any idea how many people are dead because of you?" Infinity said angrily

"Don't you think I know that?!" Hustler said angrily. "Don't you think I know that…" He repeated softly looking at the ground.

"I think…" Infinity started but was quickly interrupted.

"Enough!" Arry said angrily spinning around to look at the two. "I just want to get back to New Harbour and then Hustler can get looked at by North and then leave." She said with a sigh.

"You didn't tell him did you?" Infinity said angrily as Arry shook her head sadly.

"Tell me what?" Hustler said looking confused.

"Arry's mother died because of you and as far as I'm concerned she's taking you being here extremely well considering everything you've done!"

"Arry I'm so…" Hustler looked up and started but didn't get to finish.

"Please let's just keeping going I don't want to talk about it." Arry said turning around and continuing to walk back towards New Harbour.

Looking after her Infinity gave one last look at Hustler before they both followed after her.

On the way back to New Harbour Arry explained to Infinity what had happened when she had been talking with Ryder and why he had wanted to her to come and see him.

"I still think you took a huge gamble going there but I can understand Ryder's thinking because he knows if you give the warning to Matriarch she will take it seriously and she would have killed anyone else claiming to be a Beach Raider before evening listening to their message." Infinity said with a nod.

"What about Major?" Arry asked not convinced that he will even believe her story. "You don't think he'll try and kill us because we met with the Beach Raiders do you?" She continued sounding a little concerned.

"He may be a little angry but I doubt he'll be all to upset because hopefully he'll be more concerned with the proposal Ryder has given him which is unless he wants to start a war he can't win then he and the town need to leave." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I just want to let you know that I'm proud of you."

"For what?" Arry asked.

"You had a chance to get back at Hustler for everything he had done to you and others and you decided to put that hate aside and let him live and escape with us. I hope he understands what you've done for him."

"I couldn't do it Infinity, I couldn't hurt him despite everything he has done it's just not in me to do that, I'm not a murderer like those men who killed my mother and the other vaultee's. I think he has already suffered enough for what he has done." She paused. "That means I never want to see him again after we get to New Harbour." She said shaking her head as Infinity grinned.

"Make that two of us."

* * *

When the three arrived back at New Harbour after a few hours Mark 5-0 eagerly hovered over to them and spun around as though he was excited to see them.

"Arry-Human I am pleased you and Infinity-Human have returned alive." Mark 5-0 said.

"Thanks for the concern this time." Infinity said looking at Mark 5-0.

"Hustler-human however I am not pleased to see." Mark 5-0 said causing Infinity to laugh.

"You're growing on me." Infinity said grinning as Mark 5-0 let Randy know that they had arrived back.

Opening the door into New Harbour the three quickly stepped inside where Randy was waiting for them.

"You are not welcome here." Randy said looking at Hustler with a frown.

"He's just going to get checked over by Dr North and then he's going." Arry said quickly looking at Randy who reluctantly nodded.

"Alright then Arry but don't let Major see him or else he may have been better off with the Beach Raiders. What did they say?"

"They want me to deliver a warning to all the people in New Harbour and New Sydney to leave because if they stay they are going to be killed when the Beach Raiders attack." Arry said looking at the concerned look on Randy's face.

"Did they say when?" Randy asked as Arry shook her head. "You really should go tell Major about this."

"We should go see him before it gets dark." Infinity said pointing to the sun which was slowly starting to set in the distance.

"You need to go and get yourself checked up by Dr North and then you need to leave." Arry said turning to Hustler who simply nodded and without a word slinked away towards Dr North's practice in town.

"He doesn't deserve to be here." Randy hissed turning to Arry who sighed and nodded.

"I know but please just leave him and let him go." She said looking up at Randy who nodded before she and Infinity began to walk towards Major's office.

"Now we need to think of what to say so I know let's pretend I'm Major and you're you." Infinity said turning to Arry.

"Not this game again." Arry said shaking her head. "I'm just going to tell him straight and if he gets angry we can just…"

"Kill him?" Infinity said looking down at the shocked looked on Arry's face. "I'm joking." Infinity said quickly with a laugh.

The two approached Major's office where they saw the same guard from yesterday guarding the door.

"We have some important news." Arry said looking up at the guard. "About the Beach Raiders."

"Yes Major is expecting a report from you about what you found at the vaults." The guard said with a nod as he stepped aside letting Arry and Infinity inside.

When they entered the building they saw Major standing up in the room reading some papers in his hand.

"Ah yes you've returned, what happened?" He asked looking at them as Arry took a deep breath.

"The Beach Raiders managed to break into some of the vaults. Infinity and I were given a message and saw the Leader of the Beach Raiders and he gave me a message to tell you…" Arry said looking up at Major who to her surprise didn't look angry at all. "He says that you are to leave or else be faced with an attack and the destruction of New Harbour and its residents."

"I see…" Major said calmly as he paced for a moment. "When did he give you this message? And did he say when this attack will be?"

"He gave us the message today and didn't' say when the attack would be." Infinity replied as Major just nodded.

"Yes very alarming. Look it's getting late now so I suggest you come back tomorrow and we can discuss this further I need time to think..." Major continued in a concerned voice as a surprised Arry simply nodded.

"It will have to early because I plan to leave tomorrow to go back to New Sydney." Arry said quickly as Major just nodded and she and Infinity walked back outside onto the street.

"He seemed to take the news that we met with the Beach Raiders well." Infinity said looking at Arry who looked just as surprised.

"He has a big decision to make in regards to the people who live here." She said looking around at the people around her. "He always said they were his responsibility so now it's time for him to look after them."

"Did you want to go see North tonight?" Infinity asked looking at Arry who shook her head.

"We can see him tomorrow morning and get his answer then. This will give enough time for Hustler to see him and hopefully be gone by the morning as well."

"Well I know a great place we can stay at tonight, it's called Sally's Inn…"

"I remember you mentioning her, I mean that place before. What will she want in trade so we can stay the night?" Arry asked.

"Don't worry she owes me a favour so we should be able to get two single rooms for the night!" Infinity said walking forward. "Come on it's not far from here." He said as Arry walked after him glad to be safely in New Harbour and away from the Beach Raiders and their territory.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 Sacrifices**

Early the next morning just as the sun was starting to rise Arry and Infinity walked out of Sally's Inn.

"It's very early." Infinity said with a yawn looking at Arry.

"I know but we need to see whether North is going to come with us and then see Major before leaving. I don't want to leave it too late because we're already late for our meeting with my dad and the Matriarch." Arry said knowing that her father must be concerned since she and Infinity had taken a lot longer to come back to New Sydney then they had planned.

"How do you even know he'll be up this early?"

"I'm hoping that maybe it's because he's decided to come with us and so he and Phillipa are all packed and ready to go." Arry said hopefully.

"He didn't sound very happy about the idea before so I wouldn't get your hopes up." Infinity said quickly as the two began to walk towards North's practice.

Arry was surprised to see that a lot of other people in New Harbour were also all up quite early and were already going about their daily business.

When they arrived at North's practice Arry knocked on the door and waited patiently. A few moments later Phillipa opened the door.

"Oh Arry you're back." She said quickly motioning the two inside. "We heard about what happened at the vaults." She said sadly. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

"It's alright Phillipa really." Arry said forcing a smile before thinking for a moment. "Wait how did…?" She didn't get to finish as she watched Hustler appeared out of a nearby doorway.

Hustler looked up at Arry and she instantly noticed that he had been cleaned up and didn't look nearly as bad as he had the day before but his face was still covered in small cuts and bruises.

"I didn't think you'd be here so early." Hustler said quickly "I was going to leave this morning I swear."

"Can't keep your mouth shut can you?" Infinity said shaking his head.

"Oh no don't blame him I was the one asking the questions." Phillipa said quickly.

"You didn't have to answer them and could have kept some decency for the woman who saved you." Infinity said glaring at Hustler who said nothing.

"We've come to speak with your father." Arry said turning away from Hustler to look back at Phillipa who looked a little concerned before nodding and disappearing into another room.

Arry glared over at Infinity who was about to say something and possibly start another argument with Hustler but she quickly stopped him wanting to move on from the subject.

"Glad to see you two back again." North said appearing from a nearby room with Phillipa beside him.

"Have you thought about our offer?" Arry asked hopefully as she watched North sigh.

"I am very sorry but the answer is still no. Until I can see a change in the way New Sydney is organized and run I don't believe it is a good place for me or my daughter." Arry felt her heart sink a little but she knew that it wasn't her decision and there was going to be nothing she could say or do that would change his mind.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, maybe one day in the future?" Arry asked.

"Perhaps but until then I am going to remain here in New Harbour where these people need my help and respect me." He paused. "I am truly sorry for wasting your time."

After North had spoken there was an awkward silence in the room before Infinity quickly decided to break it.

"We should go see Major." He said turning to Arry who nodded.

"Yes of course." Arry agreed before turning to North and Phillipa. "I hope to see you again one day."

"If you ever come back here to New Harbour please do." Phillipa smiled.

"Have a safe journey." North said before returning to the room he had come from as Arry and Infinity walked back to the door.

"I'm sorry." Phillipa said softly looking after them.

"Don't be, it's alright really." Arry said with a smile as she and Infinity walked back outside.

"You can't hide that disappointment very well." Infinity said looking down at Arry who sighed before the two began to walk towards Major's office building.

"I don't understand why he doesn't want to help us with the dam, he could make the lives of so many people including those here and in the vaults better." Arry said not quite understanding why North wouldn't want to try and help.

"To be honest Arry I can understand where he is coming from." Infinity started. "A long time ago when the ghouls started appearing I can't even think how to explain how horribly they were treated by people no matter how kind they seemed to be. It was this brutal treatment of people to the ghouls that caused so many to go insane and it surprises me how many managed to remain civil in a world where they were and are to a point still being treated so badly."

"It must have been hard for him." Arry said sadly thinking about how North must have been treated nearly his entire life since he became a ghoul.

"Not only did North see people treating the ghouls so badly but he has also seen how brutal people can be to each other like when he found and rescued Phillipa after those people killed her family." Infinity said shaking his head. "I can't believe he has been able to remain so kind."

"Hopefully Matriarch will start treating ghouls better if we say that North will only come if she does?" Arry thought to herself as Infinity let out a small laugh.

"Trust me I've known the Matriarch for a long time and she isn't one to change her mind and her prejudices against ghouls isn't something that's going to go away very soon." He paused. "That reminds me of the time this ghoul working at New Sydney refused to help remove some chemical waste and she locked him outside with the feral dogs one night…"

"She what?" Arry said stunned. "Was he ok?"

"He was fine but was sure pale from fright in the morning." Infinity chuckled to himself as Arry frowned starting to see exactly why a ghoul like North may think twice about coming to New Sydney after all.

When the two arrived at Major's office building Arry instantly noticed that the guard on the door was missing.

Walking up to the door Arry knocked on it before slowly opening it and peering inside to see Major sitting down at his desk. When she and Infinity walked inside Major quickly stood up in surprise.

"I hope we're not too early because we need to go soon..." Arry said looking at Major who simply nodded. "Are you alright you look surprised to see us?"

"Oh no it's nothing I'm just a little jumpy about the news you gave me yesterday that's all." Major nodded as a silence came over the group.

"Did you want to ask us something?" Arry asked breaking the silence.

"Oh yes just let me find the questions…" Major said quickly looking down at his desk and shuffling his papers around.

"Look…" Infinity started angrily but was interrupted when a deafening explosive boom roared through the entire office shaking everything including the walls.

"About time." Major smiled as Arry turned to look at him.

"You?" Arry said in shock as the sound of screams and gunfire started to ring out outside.

"I'm surprised someone as smart as The Vaultee didn't figure this out already." Major laughed as he looked at Arry who was thinking to herself. "Come on now figure it out." He said as Infinity quickly pulled out his shotgun and aimed it directly at Major.

"That warning Ryder gave me yesterday…that wasn't a warning about an attack that was going to happen in the distant future that was a hidden message to say that he was going to be attacking New Harbour the next day so you could prepare!" Arry said angrily feeling so stupid that she hadn't noticed it before.

"Oh congratulations." Major said clapping his hands.

"You deserve to die for this." Infinity said in a low voice staring at Major who didn't look very concerned.

"But why?" Arry said shaking her head. "Why turn your back on these people who trusted you to protect them?!" She continued her voice rising to a yell not understanding why Major was condemning the entire town to death and destruction.

"Because our grand leader has promised me a position of power in his new world." Major grinned. "I will be in charge of something worthy of me and my time with people who are actually worth something and are useful unlike the trash this dump brings in." He said in a disgusted tone.

"Arry we need to get out of here right now." Infinity said sounding concerned as the sounds of gunfire and screaming outside grew louder and louder.

"Run if you can but the only way out was just blown apart and would now be heavily guarded and I doubt your friend will be able to swim out into the Harbour the other way." Major said turning to Infinity.

"You…you blew a hole where the entrance door used to be…?" Infinity said looking concerned as Major just shrugged.

"I'm sure your friends death there was painless…" Major grinned but just as Infinity went to pull the trigger to fire Arry purposefully bumped into him causing the shot to just miss Major's head and hit the wall behind him.

"You bastard…" Infinity said fiercely before turning to Arry.

"He's not worth it now quickly we have to go…" Arry said looking up at Infinity who thought for a few moments before sighing and lowering his weapon.

"Let's go." He said turning around and opening the door to the outside.

"Goodbye." Major said as Arry frowned but said nothing as she and Infinity walked outside which was a scene of absolute chaos as New Harbour citizens fled in all directions and Beach Raiders chased after them firing at anyone or anything that moved whether they be a man, woman or child.

"We have to get out…" Infinity started but Arry quickly stopped him.

"No we have to go find North and Phillipa first we can't let them get killed and North will be our best chance in case any of…" Arry didn't get to finish as Infinity quickly jumped in front of her shooting a Beach Raider who had appeared around a nearby corner.

"We better hurry then." Infinity said as Arry pulled out her shotgun and the two quickly began to make their way down the streets towards North's practice.

As Arry ran the sound of screaming and gunfire echoed through her head and the bodies of people the Beach Raiders had killed on the ground were making her sick and angry at how these murderers who seemed so civilized in their territory could suddenly turn into murderous monsters. How could she have been so blinded by the "show" they had given her and Infinity so they didn't realize they were simply messengers for an attack? How could she have let this happen? Why had she been so blind to the truth especially after they murdered her mother?

As the two neared North's practice Arry was surprised when she saw Mark 5-0 quickly hovering through the streets being ignored by everyone else as it made its way to her.

"Arry-Human New Harbour is under attack." Mark 5-0 said as it hovered alongside her and Infinity.

"Really?" Infinity said angrily.

"The Beach Raiders ignored me and used explosives to blow open a hole in the New Harbour entrance after Randy-Human refused to let them inside."

"Randy is he?" Infinity said looking at Mark 5-0.

"I'm afraid Randy-Human was killed in the explosion as were many other people located nearby." When Mark 5-0 had finished Arry looked up at the sad look on Infinity's face he was clearly saddened by the death of his old friend.

When the three reached North's practice Arry quickly banged on the door which was locked.

"North? Phillipa? It's Arry let us in please!" Arry called out and put her ear to the door where she could hear people talking inside before she heard something large and heavy being moved.

"Get inside." North said opening the door and poking his head outside as Arry, Infinity and Mark 5-0 quickly went inside where North and Infinity pushed the large cabinet back against the door.

"You both look alright thankfully." North said instantly turning to Infinity and Arry and lowering the pistol in his hand.

"We're trapped in here there's no other way out." Hustler said appearing from a nearby room.

"You're still here?" Infinity said angrily as Arry quickly stepped forward between the two.

"We have no time to argue we all have to get out of here right now!" Arry said loudly looking at the group around her.

"What are we going to do?" Phillipa said looking at North with a frightened expression.

"I always suspected this day would come…" North said looking at Infinity and motioning him over to a large empty bookcase that stood against a wall in the room. "When I helped create this town I knew I needed a way to protect Phillipa in case we were attacked by any of the gangs at the time." He continued as he and Infinity moved the large bookcase to the side which revealed a manhole on the floor.

"What is this?" Arry said amazed as she watched North disappear into another room for a few moments before walking out with a key that he used to unlock the old lock on the manhole before releasing the seal hatch and pulling it up.

"It's an old manhole that leads down to an old sewage system from Old Sydney. Most of them in this area were sealed up but I kept this one from being permanently blocked and decided to make my home here and use it as an escape plan for Phillipa." North said looking down the manhole.

"Very clever." Infinity said clearly impressed.

"However there is one small problem." North said looking back up at the group. "The old lock on this can only be locked again from this side. I made the manhole lock like this so I could lock the manhole shut from up here whilst Phillipa could escape in case of an emergency and no one could follow after her." A silence came over the entire group.

"Let me stay and lock it." Infinity said stepping forward.

"No I can do it I need you to escort the others safely to New Sydney." Arry said quickly stepping forward.

"No I…" Infinity started but was interrupted when another loud explosion rocked the entire building causing the walls to shake and small items to fall from the shelves onto the floor.

"We have no time to argue Hustler you go first." Arry said turning to Hustler who didn't argue as he quickly began to climb down the manhole ladder. "Mark you go next."

"Arry-Human I am detecting ghoul signatures in the sewers below." Mark 5-0 said turning to Arry who thought for a moment.

"Infinity I need you to go down there and protect Hustler and us as we go down." Arry said turning to Infinity who didn't look too happy with the idea.

"I'm not going if you're staying here." He said with a frown.

"Please Infinity I need you to go and make sure it's safe down there." She said looking up at him as the sounds of gunfire outside grew closer and closer.

"Promise?" Infinity said walking over to the manhole as Arry nodded.

"Please hurry!" Arry continued as Infinity quickly descended down after Mark 5-0 and Hustler leaving Phillipa, Arry and North in the building.

"Go sweetheart you next." North said turning to his daughter.

"No what about you I can't leave you here?!" Phillipa said shaking her head.

"Don't worry he's going to…" Arry started but didn't get to finish.

"No I will stay you all need to get away from here I can look after myself." North said looking to Arry.

"But Dad…" Phillipa started with tears in her eyes.

"Please listen to me sweetheart I need you to be safe." He said as the two hugged.

"They need you Dad…" Phillipa said pulling back from the hug and looking up at North. "I love you Dad." Phillipa said with tears in her eyes and before North could do anything Phillipa pushed him forward causing him to fall down into the manhole and disappear.

"Phillipa...?" Arry said stepping forward as the Beach Raiders started banging on the door.

"Take care of my father Arry I know he can help you and help save New Sydney." Phillipa said with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…I wish…" Arry said looking at Phillipa who managed a small smile through her tears.

"No wishes, no regrets." Phillipa said softly as a loud thud on the door caused the cabinet blocking it to shift slightly. "Now go please before they get in." Phillipa said handing Arry the lock key who held it tightly in her hand before nodding and quickly jumping down into the manhole onto the ladder and climbing down. As Arry climbed down a few steps she watched as Phillipa quickly slammed the manhole back down and Arry heard her close the lock sealing it for good so the Beach Raiders couldn't follow them.

Arry felt her heart completely sink as she looked down to see Infinity release his grip on North who as Arry jumped down from the ladder quickly began to climb up it in vain and start banging on the manhole when he reached the top.

"No Phillipa please...Phillipa!" North yelled and screamed as Arry, Infinity, Mark 5-0 and Hustler remained silent. "No no I was supposed look after her, she was my daughter." North said putting his hands on his face sobbing and shaking his head.

"She did this to save you." Arry said looking up at North who very slowly climbed back down the ladder clenching his fists.

"This is your fault!" He suddenly yelled pushing Arry back. "She's dead because of you! If you hadn't come out of that damn vault you wouldn't have met us and ruined our lives forever!"

"This is no ones fault." Infinity said holding onto his shotgun tightly.

"Oh this coming from one of the lucky ghouls who likes to think he's so much better than everyone else!" North sneered turning to Infinity before quickly raising the pistol he was holding at him.

"You don't want to do this." Arry said quickly turning to North who shook his head.

"I have **nothing** left to live for with Phillipa dead! I've lost everything that ever mattered to me, everything that kept my sane in the horrible world." North said angrily.

"Put the gun down…" Infinity said in a low voice as the two glared at each other.

"She did this because she knew you could help us save people and everyone in New and Old Sydney, she knew you may be our last chance to finish the dam and most of all she did this because she loved you." Arry said as she slowly stepped in front of North and between him and Infinity.

"She was all I had left." He said slowly lowering the pistol in his hand and looking at Arry who quickly stepped forward and hugged him. "My baby's gone." He cried shaking his head. "She's gone..."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Past Lives**

A loud high pitch ghoul scream suddenly echoed throughout the sewage tunnel causing Arry to quickly spin around and peer into the distance. The tunnel they were in was very dimly lit and the lights they did have on the ceiling were flickering madly and Arry assumed that they must be being powered by an extremely old generator that was starting to run dry.

"Mark how many are there?" Arry asked turned to Mark 5-0 who took a moment to reply.

"Multiple ghoul's in the tunnel ahead of us." Mark 5-0 replied.

"That didn't answer the question." Infinity sneered.

"Do you know where the exit to this tunnel comes out?" Arry asked turning to North who shook his head.

"Doesn't matter where the exit is as long as there is one because I can't be the only one who wants to get out of here and not just because of the ghouls." Infinity said scrunching up his nose up at the horrible deathly smell that filled the tunnel.

"I don't have a weapon." Hustler said quickly turning to the group.

"That's not a problem…" Infinity said causally glaring at Hustler who just stepped back and looked at the ground.

"Ok Infinity, North and I will lead whilst Mark and Hustler stay behind us." Arry said looking at the group who nodded.

Slowly the group began to walk through the damp pipe which was at least 7 foot tall and as they did the sounds of howls, screams and scratches up ahead began to grow louder and louder.

Finally in the dim light Arry could see a pack of at least 5 ghouls all hunched over something on the ground and were hissing and barking at each other greedily.

"Maybe we could sneak…?" Hustler started but before he had time to finish the ghouls instantly looked up from what they were doing and glared straight at the group. For a moment the entire pipe was dead silent as the two groups stared at each other each waiting for the other to say or do something.

After what seemed an eternity but was really only a few moments one of the ghouls screeched loudly and began to charge at Arry and the others and the ghouls behind all followed in after their leader.

"Aim for the head." North said calmly as he, Arry and Infinity began to fire at the ghouls who luckily for them because of the open tunnel had nowhere to hide and were quickly gunned down with the closet ghoul only managing to reach a few feet in front of them before collapsing.

Arry glanced behind to make sure there weren't any behind them and was happy to see that there weren't and that although Hustler looked petrified he was fine to. As she glanced back around she watched as North approached one of the dead ghouls on the ground.

"These are starving…" He said turning back to the group.

"What are they doing down here?" Arry asked walking forward as Infinity and Mark 5-0 came after her.

"I have seen this before." Infinity nodded looking down at the bodies. "From what I've seen over the years feral ghouls tend to gather in packs and much like other feral animals the weaker ones can sometimes be kicked out…"

"Ah yes they've been ostracized." North nodded. "Would explain why these ghouls also appear to be smaller and weaker than others I have seen."

"But what were they eating because there wouldn't be much down here?" Hustler said slowly walking forward as the group walked a few feet ahead and looked down to see that the ghouls had been eating one of their own. "Oh…" Hustler said looking a little pale.

"Common among our uncivilized kin." North nodded turning to Arry who had never realized that feral ghouls who appeared to her as nothing but mindless crazy creatures actually still had a hierarchy in their packs.

"Come on let's keep going." Infinity said motioning the group as they all began to walk forward.

"Arry-Human my readings indicate that there are no more ghouls in this sewage tunnel." Mark 5-0 said as it hovered over to Arry who nodded.

After they had walked for at least half an hour they finally reached another ladder that Infinity quickly climbed up and pushed the manhole above open and looked out.

"It's safe you can come on up." He said quickly climbing out as Hustler instantly jumped forward and began to climb with Mark 5-0 quickly hovering up after him. Arry turned to North who was looking back down the tunnel as though expecting something or someone to suddenly appear out of the blue.

"Are you…" Arry started but didn't get to finish.

"Alright?" North said shaking his head. "I'll never be alright." He sighed sadly before turning around and quickly climbing up the ladder.

Arry paused for a moment and looked back down the sewage pipe and knew that despite the fact North knew his daughter was dead he had been holding onto that hope that maybe she would suddenly appear out the darkness and be alright but both Arry and North knew it wasn't going to happen. Turning around she quickly climbed up the ladder and when she reached the street level she could see that they had popped up further west of New Harbour which in the distance was on fire and was sending black smoke billowing into the sky.

Where the group had come up was back in the ruins of Old Sydney at least a half hour walk from where New Harbour was. The group stared at New Harbour for quite a long time with none of them saying anything. Arry was half expecting North to charge back to try and find his daughter but when she turned to him she could tell he knew the truth and that no matter what he did his daughter was dead and there was nothing he could do for her now.

"How could he?" Infinity said angrily shaking his head and kicking a piece of rubble on the ground. "How could Major do this?" Everyone went silent again as no one said a word because no one had the answer.

"I don't understand how they managed to blow a hole in the wall of New Harbour where could they have gotten such large explosives from?" Arry said shaking her head not understanding where the Beach Raiders could have possibly found or how they could have created a large enough bomb to do so much damage to such a thick concrete wall.

"I know how." Hustler said quietly stepping forward as they all turned to him.

"How did they make it?" Arry asked wondering if when Hustler had been captured he had heard the Raiders talking about building a bomb.

"Actually they didn't build it they found and stole it." Hustler continued looking a little nervous.

"The bomb they used did appear to be of military manufacture and not home-made." Mark 5-0 said hovering over and chipping in.

"Military? But there are no military bases around here that would have weapons like that." Infinity said thinking to himself. "No the small bases located around Sydney have all been ransacked long ago there would be nothing left in them anymore."

"There is one just north of the city." Hustler continued.

"What? How did I not know about this? I have been all over this city." Infinity queried.

"I stumbled on it one day and went inside looking for items to trade when some soldiers at the base found me and told me that if I told no one about it they would give me some good items they had in stock and let me leave." Hustler said watching as Arry, Infinity and North started to begin putting the pieces of Hustler's story together.

"I think I understand." Arry said out aloud looking to Hustler with a frown. "Ryder told me at the Beach Raider base that he no longer needed you to get into the vaults but he didn't tell my why." She shook her head in disbelief. "You told them about the military base didn't you?"

"You're pathetic." Infinity sneered walking forward over to Hustler. "We all knew you couldn't keep a secret but this...do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"They forced me, you have to believe me!" Hustler said quickly as he cowered slightly. "They said if I didn't tell them everything I knew they'd kill me so I told them about the military base."

"That's why Ryder didn't want you anymore because he has obviously found enough weapons and bombs at that base to not only blow a hole in New Harbour but to also blow open the vault doors and New Sydney!" Arry said angrily throwing her hands up in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell us this before?!"

"Because I didn't know that it would matter so much!" Hustler said loudly. "I didn't know they were going to use them to attack New Harbour."

"What did you think they were going to do with them?!" Infinity yelled.

"Not this." Hustler said shaking his head.

"Why are you even still here with us? If it were up to me I would have left you back there to die, you should have been the one to lock the manhole cover." Infinity said angrily as North who also looked extremely angry and upset nodded.

"I think you should leave." North said crossing his arms as Hustler turned to Arry who had remained quiet.

"No we need him." Arry started looking up at the shocked look on Infinity's face. "Please just hear me out." She said quickly looking at Infinity who although was furious nodded. "If what Hustler says is true and I believe him that means the Beach Raiders have only had a day at the most to remove some of the weapons at that base because they would have had to have fought off those soldier first which means they mustn't have had time to remove all the weapons yet."

"What are you suggesting?" North asked curiously.

"Most of the Beach Raiders would have been here for the attack which means that there won't be as many people at the Military Base taking all the equipment for the next 24 hours. If we can get to that base and stop them before they steal more bombs and weapons we may be able to stop them before they take enough to start blowing open the vaults and New Sydney." When Arry finished everyone looked stunned.

"Having those weapons in their hands will make the Raiders much more powerful and I agree that we need to cut off their supply but there is no way we're going to get across to North Sydney in time. With New Harbour destroyed our only way across on the boat with Frank has been completely cut off." Infinity said shaking his head. "If we head west towards New Sydney to get across that way that'll take at least 2 days to reach this same position were in but only on the other side of the Harbour which is more than enough time for the Raiders to take everything they can from that base."

"Actually I know a way we can get across." Hustler added as they all turned back to him. "The Beach Raiders don't use a boat to get across the Harbour where they are because they have constructed a very thin makeshift walkway across in their territory."

"Impossible." North said shaking his head. "How could they have built something so quickly?"

"They have had 50 years to work on this." Infinity said quickly.

"They could have created something in that time and with no one ever having escaped from their territory except that one man who disappeared than no one would have known about it." Arry said understanding that it would have been possible for them to have created such a walkway without anyone outside of the Beach Raiders ever knowing about it.

"There is no way we'll be able to go that way though it is in the heart of Beach raider territory on both sides of the Harbour!" Hustler said quickly.

"It's the only way we're going to be able to get to the base fast enough to try and stop them stealing enough bombs and weapons." Arry said turning to Infinity who put his hand on his face and shook his head in disbelief.

"So what you're saying is that you want you, me, the Doctor here, the coward and the flying tin-can to sneak into Beach Raider territory and sneak across their heavily guard bridge to North Sydney and then sneak into a base they control and stop them stealing weapons?" Infinity said looking dumbfounded as Arry nodded.

"We have to if we are to stop them from destroying New Sydney and the vaults with those bombs." Arry said thinking of how easily the Beach Raiders could destroy New Sydney with a few well-placed large bombs bringing all their work on the dam and the possibly of electricity and clean water to an end.

"I'm not going back there!" Hustler said shaking his head as Infinity looked to him angrily.

"You're coming with us whether you like it or not because you know where it is and besides we might need some bait." Infinity hissed.

"I recommend then we sneak into their territory at night when it will hardest to see us." North said thinking to himself. "The moon however may be problematic being so near to full."

"I'm hoping that most of the Beach Raiders will still be looting New Harbour so a lot of them may be away." Arry said glancing back at New Harbour. "And they won't be expecting us because Ryder will think we're all dead and that any traders or wanderers nearby would have fled at the sounds of an explosion and attack."

"Arry-Human I have calculated the time need for us all to walk to Beach Raider territory before dark and if we are to walk with wide berth around New Harbour I suggest we leave soon." Mark 5-0 chirped in.

"Ok we should all get going now." Arry said looking at the group as they began to walk south away from the Harbour and away from New Harbour so they could go the long way around it as to not get spotted by any Beach Raiders.

* * *

As the group walked through the city ruins Infinity took his chance to talk to Arry alone and walked over to her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked looking down at her.

"I'm not even going to try and pretend that every things alright." She sighed knowing that he was always good at catching her out when she lied. "I just don't understand how Major could do such a horrible thing to those people and how they could kill people, innocent people." She shook her head. "If only I had realized…"

"There was no way you could have ever known that you being played by Ryder and Major, not even the people who lived with Major and saw him every day knew about his real plan." As Infinity finished Arry sighed.

"I'm not saying that life in the vault was perfect but it always felt safe to me. We were never told of what was going on out here and how horrible people were to each other." She laughed shaking her head. "After going to New Harbour and New Sydney and even if just for a brief moment Beach Raider territory I could have sworn that maybe this world wasn't as bad as I had first thought and that people were actually willing to want to move forward and help each other but now I can't help but feel as though if I had just stayed in the vault none of this might have happened and maybe New Harbour wouldn't have been attacked."

"Let me tell you something." Infinity said looking down at her. "I have been around a lot longer than you and I'm telling you right now that none of this was your fault. I have seen cities and towns come and go over the years and I have seen tribes and gangs come and go over the years and it's because this place is always changing, there is always someone new willing to try their luck at controlling this old place and they rise and eventually fall to the next leader and then the cycle just continues."

"Is it always innocent people who get caught up in the madness?" Arry said glancing back at New Harbour before turning to Infinity who nodded.

"It's one reason I never like to stay in the same place to long because I've seen too many towns be destroyed and now all I can do is add another to the list and another friend to those I've lost."

"Tell me about your old friend Randy you two seemed to have been good friends." Arry said looking up at Infinity with a smile.

"I must have met him when he was only about 20 years old. He was a scruffy looking man who liked to think he was a gift to women or at least until one day when he was caught by a small gang after trying to sneak off with one of their daughters. I managed to save the guy and thought he would go and leave me alone afterward but to my surprise he wanted to travel with me. He ended up looking up to me almost like an older brother." Infinity smiled. "Though as he grew older I stayed the same and I could see that he wanted to settle down and didn't want to travel with me across the city anymore looking for fun and adventure. He met gorgeous looking women, fell in love and decided to settle down in the newly formed New Harbour." Infinity sighed. "After travelling with a friend for nearly ten years it was hard leaving him behind and going out on my own again but I knew that was what he wanted and so I left." Arry looked up at the sad expression on his face and decided to quickly try and cheer him up.

"Tell me about some of those adventures and fun you two had." Arry said with a grin looking up at Infinity who laughed.

"Where do I start!?" Infinity grinned. "There was this one time these ghouls had us cornered on the roof of this building and boy did we think we were stuck but then…

* * *

After the group had been walking for a few hours they decided to take a rest in what appeared to be the remains of an old residential park. The park which Arry assumed had once been full of large trees, green grass and kids play equipment was now a trash and debris littered dead field with no grass, dead tree trunks and rusted old equipment lying on the ground.

"Arry-Human there is a small pond of water nearby that I am detecting no radiation from." Mark 5-0 said after scouting the area for a moment before returning. "Follow me."

The group walked after Mark 5-0 who led them to medium sized pond but the water in it looked thick and oily, almost like tar.

"You're joking?" Infinity said turning Mark 5-0.

"I am detecting no radiation." Mark 5-0 replied in an almost proud tone.

"Does that look safe to drink to you?" Infinity said crossing his arms.

"I am detecting no radiation so it must be safe." Mark 5-0 said turning to Infinity.

"Stupid machine…" Infinity said rolling his eyes before turning back to Arry. "I might go scout around for a little while and make sure there are no Beach Raiders nearby.

"Let me come with you, two ghouls are better than one." North said stepping forward. "I don't need to rest and I don't want to stop." He finished with a sigh and Arry knew that he just wanted to keep going so he didn't stop to think about what had just happened and most likely get upset and angry again.

"I can also accompany you Infinity-Human." Mark 5-0 said hovering beside him but before Infinity could say anything North did.

"Human? Why is it calling you that?" North asked looking at Mark 5-0 who turned to him.

"Infinity-Human requested it North-Ghoul." Mark 5-0 replied as North turned to Infinity who looked a little embarrassed.

"I see." North said as he and Infinity began to walk away.

"I can explain why it's because…" But Infinity didn't get to reply as Mark 5-0 quickly hovered after them.

"I can explain I remember the entire conversation!" Mark 5-0 buzzed eagerly as Arry heard Infinity complain before they walked out of her hearing range.

Laughing a little to herself Arry looked around the park for somewhere to rest for a little while before continuing but she soon noticed that Hustler had already sat down beside the dirty pond alone. Arry looked down at him with a frown knowing that it was because of him that so many people were dead and that she didn't' want to talk to him but as she walked away she thought back to how he had looked when she had first seen him in Beach Raider Territory and how much more timid, shy and frightened he seemed to be now then he had been before. Stopping in her tracks she peered back around to him and despite everything he had done to her and everyone else she couldn't help but deep down understand how he could be feeling because she too felt guilt about what had happened and knew that he would have to be feeling even worse and especially with no one to talk to. She remembered the first time she had left the vault before she had met Infinity about how scared and alone she had been. Turning around and looking back at him she slowly walked over and looked down at him but he just stared blankly out into the distance.

"Mind if I sit down here?" Arry asked as Hustler silently shook his head. Sitting down beside him she to looked out over the pond and at the ruins on the other side of the park.

"I'm surprised you want anything to do with me." Hustler sighed turning to her. "I know for a fact that Infinity and North both want me dead and you probably do to."

"I'm not going to lie but unlike Infinity I'm willing to understand what happened to you and I don't want you dead. I know what it's like to be scared and alone with no one to talk to."

"But you have friends and family to talk to now, you have a purpose to keep going, I have nothing left, I might as well have died back in Beach Raider territory." When he finished Arry turned to him and shook her head.

"You don't mean that."

"Don't I?" He said looking down at the ground as a silence came over both of them.

"You must have some family left, some friends?" Arry asked knowing that he couldn't have possibly been alone for his entire life.

"I did once but that was a long time ago now." He said picking up a nearby piece of rubble and throwing it into the pond where it made a small splash before sinking.

"Don't you want to return to them?" Arry asked as Hustler just laughed and shook his head.

"I have no idea where they even are and I doubt they'd even want to see me."

"What do you mean you don't know where they are?" Arry asked turning to Hustler who just sighed.

"Do you really want to know?" He said turning to Arry who nodded. "It's not much of a story but when I was a kid I had a family, a mother, father and a younger brother. We used to travel around in a large group with other families for safety and trade. One of the other families who we called the Riches always had much better stuff then we did, better toys, better clothes, better food and cleaner water to drink. As I grew older I started to argue with my father about how it wasn't fair that the Riches had better stuff then we did and how he didn't work hard enough to get me and my brother better toys and clothes. This arguing would upset my younger brother but at the time I thought I was helping him not understanding that I was just hurting him." He shook his head. "I didn't realize at the time how much my father sacrificed to keep food on our table and I continued to argue with him until one day when I was about 18 years old we had a huge fight. I remember calling my father useless, that he didn't care about us and I said that I would go out and prove that I could provide for our family better than he could. I didn't even get to say goodbye to my mother or brother because I stormed out of the ruins we were living in at the time wanting to prove myself." Hustler sighed sadly. "It didn't take me very long to realize how hard the world was and it took me over a year before I finally earned some nice clothes and food from doing hard labor jobs for people and I was so proud of what I had gotten that I rushed home. I think I ran nearly all the way home from where I had been working but when I arrived the families had moved on and taken everything with them. I remember searching the ruins for hours and hours searching for anyone or any clue to where they were going but I found nothing. Eventually I ended up back in the old home my family had spent the past 2 years living in and when I walked inside the place was completely empty except for one small thing my parents had left me on the ground in case I ever returned." Hustler put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small matchbox car. "It was the only toy my brother and I ever had when we were kids and I remember us having to share it. Can you imagine two young boys sharing one toy?" He laughed a little before looking solemn. "I…I never realized my parents had kept it for so long." He said looking down at the car before holding it tightly in his hand and closing his eyes.

"You never found out where they went?" Arry asked looking at Hustler as he opened his eyes and shook his head.

"I spent days, weeks and months just looking for any sign of them but it was almost as though they had disappeared off the face of the Earth." He paused. "When I lost them it was then I decided that from then on I would only look after myself and be alone so I wouldn't have to worry about taking care of anyone else or losing them like I had lost my family. I became incredibly selfish and I used to try and increase my collection of items as bargaining and trading power in a ditch effort to try and prove to myself that perhaps one day if I ever did run into my father again I could prove to him how hard I had tried to do what I set out to do and that maybe just maybe he'd be proud of me and what I had collected…but look at me now." He said shaking his head. "I'm nothing to be proud of, my father would be so ashamed of me…like I am." He said in disgust and threw the matchbox car down onto the ground beside them.

"I'm sorry I never knew." Arry said looking at him.

"That's no excuse for the way I've been acting and what I've done." He turned to her. "I never even thanked you for saving my life that's how selfish I am. I know I should have been the one to lock that lock back at New Harbour but instead I was a selfish coward and got that pretty young girl killed."

Arry turned to look at Hustler whom she could only describe as having the appearance of a man completely broken inside who had lost everything but she still couldn't believe even for a moment that he wished he had been killed by the Beach Raiders because she knew that deep down despite everything he wanted to stay alive and keep searching for his family.

"Maybe one day when this is all over I can help you?" Arry said looking at Hustler who looked surprised.

"After everything I've done you'd help me?"

"I could never forgive you for what you've done…" She said sadly looking at the ground for a moment before looking back up at him. "But I do understand what family means and how important it is." She said with a small smile.

Before Hustler could say anything Infinity, North and Mark 5-0 reappeared across the park causing Hustler and Arry to quickly stand up.

"Doesn't seem to be any Beach Raiders around so we should be able to continue east towards the beaches." Infinity nodded.

"I am detecting no ghoul signatures in the nearby vicinity either." Mark 5-0 replied before turning to North. "No feral ghouls."

"No wonder Randy always wanted you outside." North said turning to Mark 5-0.

"Yeah he never shuts up right?" Infinity said shaking his head as the group began to walk east.

"I thought I remember you saying before that you were starting to like Mark?" Arry asked turning to Infinity who just shrugged.

"I can change my mind!" Infinity said crossing his arms as Arry and North chuckled a little to themselves as they, Hustler and Mark 5-0 made their way towards Beach Raider territory and to the only quick way across the Harbour and the hidden Military Base.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24. Hide & Seek**

As the group walked it was obvious to Arry that the apparent lack of ghouls and people around were due to two factors, the first being that they may have scattered after the sounds of the explosion at New Harbour and secondly because most feral ghouls were most likely still enjoying the remaining feast at the Killing Fields.

Soon the Sun began to set and the moon started to rise in the distance revealing as North had mentioned previously that it would make their journey a lot harder because they'd be easier to spot in the moonlight.

When the group reached Beach Raider territory they hid behind an old destroyed building where they looked out towards the giant wall about 100 meters away that encompassed the Beach Raider Territory.

"I never realized how large this gang had gotten." North commented as he stared at the wall. "It's been so long since I left New Harbour." He sighed.

"I can't see how we're going to get inside, from what I remember I only saw one entrance which was being guarded by two guards who would shoot anything that moved." Infinity said glancing back at Arry.

"It's impossible we might as well just forget it." Hustler said in a defeated tone.

"Here we go again…" Infinity said glaring at Hustler. "Maybe you should just…" But before he had a chance to finish Arry quickly interrupted him.

"Enough this isn't going to help." She frowned. Infinity had been taking every opportunity to put down Hustler as often as he could and it was starting to annoy her slightly knowing that Hustler already felt bad enough about what he had done. Looking from behind the ruins Arry stared at the wall which even though looked very tall and menacing she could tell that it was still quite makeshift. "They must have made that from materials they found around here." Arry thought out aloud.

"That's a lot of raw material." North said nodding as he looked around. "It surprises me because this close to the wall there is still so much material they haven't used."

Looking around her at the ruins they were in and the ruins of buildings nearby Arry could see that North was right and that a lot of heavier concrete blocks, pillars and walls had seemingly been left behind so if the Beach Raiders hadn't utilized heavier materials so close to the wall then what did they use? Slowly walking away and looking at the rubble on the ground Arry soon began to notice a clear pattern, most of the heavier pieces of material had been left behind but a lot of lighter materials such as wood and aluminium roofing from the houses were missing from the rubble ruins. She quickly turned back around to look at the Beach Raider wall but it was starting to get too dark to see what the wall had been made off making her wish she had paid more attention before.

"Mark." Arry said turning to Mark 5-0 who hovering over to her. "Can you detect different materials in the dark?"

"My scanner Arry-Human is primarily for living creatures however I can do basic studies on different materials." Mark 5-0 replied.

"I need you to try and scan that wall and see whether or not there is any aluminium roofing near the bottom of the wall…."

"Oh very clever indeed." North interrupted nodding.

"I will be back momentarily." Mark 5-0 said hovering towards the wall in the dark.

"I don't understand why they wouldn't use these heavier materials to build the wall." Arry questioned turning to North and Infinity.

"It does seem strange considering since during the wall construction of New Harbour we used heavier items like concrete pillars to construct the wall for safety." North said.

"I think I know why." Infinity said thinking to himself and nodding. "Ever since the Beach Raiders decided to live here I have constantly heard from travelers and traders about how brutal they are and that this area is a complete no go zone."

"I see, it's because they weren't expecting anyone." Arry said nodding.

"I would be surprised if anyone has ever tried to break into Beach Raider Territory with such horrible rumors and stories surrounding this place. Even I have avoided this area for the past 50 years because of them." Infinity continued.

As Infinity finished Mark 5-0 hovered back over to the group behind the ruins.

"I have scanned the wall and have found what appears to be a large sheet of old aluminium roofing directly ahead of this ruined building on the wall." Mark 5-0 said turning to Arry.

"That's perfect! If we can get close enough to the wall I should be able to pry it open just enough for us all to get inside…but we do have a problem." Infinity said looking past the ruins at two men standing on the ledge behind the wall.

"We'll be seen if we leave this position!" Hustler said alarmed.

"I think I know how we can sneak past them." Arry said turning to Mark 5-0 as Infinity shook his head.

"They won't pay any attention to it, they'll probably just shoot it." Infinity said looking at Mark 5-0 and crossing his arms.

"Is there any way you could get their attention Mark?" Arry said turning to Mark 5-0 who seemed to think for a moment.

"I do have a bright light for attracting attention in emergency's." Mark 5-0 said turning to Infinity before making a clicking sound which made a light on Mark's face side light up so bright it was almost blinding.

"Hey…" Infinity said angrily as Mark 5-0 shut off the light. "You did that on purpose!" Infinity said angrily glaring at Mark 5-0.

"Perfect." Arry said with a smile. "We need you to distract those two guards whilst we try and get past that wall."

"Acknowledged." Mark 5-0 said before turning around and hovering away before turning on his light.

"Come on let's go quickly." Arry said turning back to Hustler, North and Infinity.

"I think it blinded me." Infinity said angrily rubbing his eyes as Hustler grinned a little.

"You'll be fine." North said looking at Infinity for a moment before the four slowly crept out from the ruins and slowly walked towards the wall.

"Hey you!" Arry heard one of the guards yell and she instantly stopped and looked around and breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw Mark 5-0 about 100 meters away from the them hovering in front of the wall with the two guards looking down at it.

"Calm down it's only one of those old eye-bots." The younger man said as Arry and the others made their way closer to the wall.

"Maybe we should shoot it?" The older man laughed as Arry reached the wall and looked back over at Mark 5-0 hoping that the two men weren't going to use it as target practice.

"Not now though people are trying to sleep." The younger man replied quickly.

Meanwhile Infinity and North quickly pulled aside some of the thin aluminium roofing on the wall and Arry quickly snuck through the small opening followed by a not so eager Hustler. North then quickly crawled in and held the roofing back as Infinity quickly came inside and the two quietly folded the roofing back down again.

"Where to now?" North asked quietly.

"Where is this bridge then?" Infinity said turning to Hustler who looked very concerned.

"It's up past the Governors Tent on the beach." Hustler said biting his lip.

"We should be able to sneak through the small town here if everyone's asleep or inside." Arry whispered pointing to the small neighborhood and makeshift homes and houses that she remembered seeing the first time she had entered the territory.

The group started to sneak towards the town and away from the wall and Arry could hear the two men still discussing what to do with Mark 5-0. When they reached the small makeshift town Arry turned back around and looked towards the wall and the two men standing guard on top of the walkway.

"You, machine get in here we can use you later on." The younger man said as he quickly climbed down an old ladder down to the bottom of the wall and opened the door where Mark 5-0 hovered inside. "Shut that light off to for crying out loud." The man said annoyingly as Mark 5-0 switched off its light.

"The Gov should like this thing, he loves all that tech stuff like computers and robots." The older man said eagerly as the other quickly climbed back up the ladder.

"I'd still rather be out at New Harbour than being here playing Guard duty." The younger man sighed. "Think of the loot they'd be scoring!"

Arry watched as Mark 5-0 hovered away into the territory and she turned back to the group as they slowly snuck through the small town and it's streets towards the beach at the end.

As they snuck through the town Arry could hear people talking inside their homes and although she didn't pay much attention to what they were saying she still couldn't believe that a group of murders could seem so normal. It still boggled her mind how they seemed so much like normal people living their lives in this post-apocalyptic world just like in New Harbour and New Sydney and yet at the same time were so hungry for power and were so willing to kill for it.

When they reached the edge of the town Arry looked down to see that they were now walking on sand and she could see the waves in the moonlight gently rolling ashore only a few meters in front of them. Looking back she began to wonder where Mark 5-0 had gone as they started to walk along the beach edge towards the Harbour's edge where Hustler said he believed the bridge was.

As they walked Arry was glad to see that her hunch had been right in that most of the soldiers and warriors in the Beach Raiders had as she assumed gone to New Harbour during the attack which meant that the territory was much emptier than it usually would be.

Soon in the moonlight Arry began to make out what she assumed was the tent that she had met Ryder the Beach Raider leader in but this time there didn't appear to be any guard on the door at all but she could tell there was someone inside because of the light shining through the very bottom of the tent. As they neared the tent Arry could hear voices inside one of which sounded like Ryder.

"Keep going I'll be back in a moment." Arry whispered turning to Hustler and North who nodded and kept walking along the beach side.

"I think I can hear Major in there." Infinity said in a low voice turning to Arry as the two crept up beside the tent. Arry knew they should keep going but she wanted to hear what Ryder and Major had to say for themselves after what they had done and whether or not they discussed any fixture plans for New Sydney.

"It was all too easy everything went to plan perfectly." Arry heard Major say.

"Yes very well." Ryder replied casually.

"I'm only here because you requested me so am I to assume this has to do with my reward." Major said eagerly.

"Oh yes well there has been a little change when it comes to that." Arry heard Ryder say.

"Change?" Major replied sounding a little confused.

"You were a good pawn for me Major, you helped me take that next stepping stone on the way to New Sydney and to that dam but I actually don't need you anymore."

"But…I…I did everything you asked!" Major said with a hint of fear in his voice. "No one at New Harbour ever knew your plan and I even killed that one man who escaped with no one ever figuring out what had happened to him!" Arry wasn't to surprised by this revelation at all.

"Oh no you were helpful I'll give you that old friend but this new kingdom of mine doesn't need two leaders."

"No wait!" Major yelled out just before the sound of a gunshot rang out causing Arry to jump slightly where she was.

"Take him away and feed him to the dogs for all I care." Ryder said boredly as Arry turned to Infinity who looked just a surprised by what ahd just happened.

"Come one we should go." Infinity said quickly as Arry who was still shocked nodded and the two began to walk back towards the water's edge but just as they were about to move Mark 5-0 appeared from behind the tent causing both of them to jump in surprise.

"Don't do that." Infinity said in a forced calm voice staring at Mark 5-0 who said nothing as they crept back towards the water line where Hustler and North weren't to far in front of them.

As she walked Arry couldn't help but think about what ahd just happened and how ruthless Ryder really was. Arry shook her head not understanding how she could have fallen for his nice and innocent act the first time they had met, she had been so foolish to trust him after what he had done.

The group crept another 100 meters until they reached solid ground again which to Arry had appeared to have been a small park at one time. Walking through the destroyed and dead park the group walked up a small hill where once on top they could see the Harbour again.

"Camp Cove." North said with a sigh as he looked down at the tiny beach below them down a small steep slope. "This used to be a beautiful place."

Arry looked down at the beach which was lit by the moonlight but instead of seeing anything that resembled beauty all she could see was dirty black sand covered in debris, glass, metal and rubbish whilst the water in the small cove was thick, black and was also covered in rubbish.

"Did you used to come here?" Arry asked turning to North who nodded.

"A long time ago…not worth talking about now though."North replied quickly.

"There's the bridge!" Hustler said quietly pointing to an extremely thin line that stretchered out from a small pier on the waters edge.

"Amazing." North said sounding impressed at the bridge which they could see in the moonlight extend out into the Harbour.

"It doesn't look very safe." Infinity mentioned as the group walked along the dirty beach till they reached the small pier and small bridge which was only wide enough so that one person could go at a time in single file.

"I agree we should stay here…." Hustler nodded quickly.

"Nice try, maybe you should go first?" Infinity said turning to him.

"You said other people went across this all the time right?" Arry asked looking to Hustler who nodded as she slowly stepped onto the bridge from the pier. "No turning back now." She said sounding a little unsure as she began to walk forward on the bridge feeling as though at any step it would just collapsed right under her.

As she walked she glanced back to see Infinity coming behind her with Hustler, North and Mark 5-0 behind.

"This moonlight may not have been such a hindrance after all." North said as Arry agreed knowing that if there had been no moon and it was pitch black it would have been nearly impossible for them to have seen their way across the tiny bridge.

Not looking down into the water and not thinking about what would happen if she fell in Arry just kept her gaze forward knowing that if she thought about anything else she would lose her balance and fall in.

After what seemed like half an hour Arry without a second thought jumped off the bridge onto solid ground once she had reached the other side and breathed out in relief.

"Never thought I would say it but I prefer Frank's boat." Arry said with a small laugh shaking her head.

"This place looks much more deserted than the Southern side of Beach Raider territory." North commented when they looked out in front of them to see that on this side of the Harbour the Beach Raiders didn't even have a huge wall encompassing their territory.

"It makes sense." Infinity nodded. "Most people who come from the North are going to New Sydney and so would always go further west and not stay along the coast which means that the probability of Beach Raiders picking any travelers up here is very small as would the chance of anyone attacking them here."

"What about the bridge wouldn't people want to go across it?" Hustler asked.

"No one knows about it though and people like Infinity said would avoid this entire beach area because they would have heard about the Beach Raiders." Arry said quickly understanding now exactly why the Beach Raiders didn't have as many defenses on this side of the Harbour.

"Now you better remember where that Army base is then." Infinity said turning to Hustler.

"It's hard to tell in the dark…" Hustler said looking around him.

"We need to find it before morning so we can get a good idea of what it looks like and how many Raiders are there." Arry said turning to Hustler knowing it was important for him to remember.

"I think it might be a little North West, maybe a few hours walk?" Hustler said looking into the distance.

"I am detecting human signatures in this area Arry-Human so we should be careful and leave soon." Mark 5-0 said hovering beside her.

"I agree, let's go before we're seen." Infinity said as the group began to walk further west inland away from the beaches and the Beach Raiders that were lurking around in the makeshift tents in the distance.

* * *

"I still don't understand how I never heard of this place before." Infinity said turning to Arry as the group walked through the ruins of Northern Old Sydney.

"Everyone misses something sometimes." Arry said looking up at him as he shook his head.

"No that's not possible I have been over every inch of this city! There is no way I could have missed an entire military base filled with weapons!" Infinity glanced back at Hustler.

"I'm not lying." Hustler said quickly.

"He couldn't be because where else could the Beach Raiders have gotten that large bomb from?" Arry said believing Hustler.

"When I see it I'll believe it." Infinity said crossing his arms with a small huff.

"Arry-Human I am detecting the presence of a ghoul nearby." Mark 5-0 said hovering over to Arry who looked around her instantly but couldn't see anything.

"Where?" Arry asked as she watched Mark 5-0 hover forward a little in the distance.

"I think we should just leave it alone and keep moving." Infinity said looking after Mark 5-0 as Hustler quickly nodded in agreement.

Arry was about to agree when suddenly something in the distance appeared and it seemed to be glowing in the dark. She had never seen anything like it before and she stared at this glowing object in the dark for quite some time trying to decipher what it was.

"Are you sure it's a ghoul?" Infinity asked as Mark 5-0 hovered back over to him.

"Yes." Mark 5-0 replied.

"Impossible." Infinity replied turning to North who looked just as intrigued.

"I don't understand is that thing a ghoul?" Arry asked turning back to Infinity and North who nodded.

"I have heard rumors of such ghouls but never have I seen one before." North said curiously.

"I have seen one or two in my time and both times they were nothing but trouble." Infinity said looking back to Arry who was still intrigued but before she could say anything the glowing ghoul started to walk towards them.

"We should get out of here…" Hustler said quickly spinning around but before he had a chance to run Infinity grabbed the collar of his shirt stopping him.

"Hey what's the hurry? We can handle one ghoul." Infinity asked staring at Hustler who looked guilty.

"What do you know?" Arry said glaring at Hustler but before he had a chance to say anything the glowing ghoul appeared and stopped about 10 meters in front of them. The glowing ghoul was a man who appeared to be wearing a military uniform and appeared to be just like a normal ghoul however the parts of skin that had rotted and decayed away on his face and hands were glowing a greenish yellow colour in the dark.

"Stay there." Infinity said raising his shotgun and pointing it at the ghoul who didn't appear too concerned.

"I will but I need you to drop your weapons." The ghoul replied in a deep raspy voice as all of a sudden from the shadows Arry, Hustler, Infinity, North and Mark 5-0 were surrounded by a group of both humans and ghouls who were wearing Military uniforms with guns pointed at them. "Please oblige so no one gets hurt." The ghoul continued staring at the group who were completely outnumbered and outgunned.


End file.
